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Australia’s Liberal Party announced Thursday it will remove the nation’s net zero by 2050 emissions target if elected, marking a dramatic reversal in climate policy as Opposition Leader Sussan Ley prioritizes energy affordability over binding carbon reduction goals.
The decision, approved by the Liberal Shadow Ministry after a six-month policy review, would also eliminate the legislated 43% emissions reduction target for 2030 from the Climate Change Act. Ley said the party remains committed to the Paris Agreement but will pursue emissions reductions without statutory targets. “Australians deserve affordable energy and responsible emissions reduction, and the Liberal Party believes we can do both,” Ley told reporters. “But affordable energy must come first.”
The policy shift sets up a clear electoral divide ahead of the 2028 federal election, with Labor campaigning on climate action while the Coalition emphasizes cost-of-living relief. The Liberals argue power bills have increased 40% under the current Labor government, though they did not provide a timeline for when their policies would reduce consumer costs. Ley accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of lying to voters about energy prices, stating “every bill, every month, every quarter is a reminder of that lie.”
The reversal represents a significant departure from the Coalition’s 2021 position under then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who adopted the net zero commitment before the COP26 climate summit. Shadow Minister Dan Tehan said the new policy prioritizes “energy affordability first, where Labor is about energy costs” and accused the government of “strangling” the economy with renewable mandates. The Liberal Party will now negotiate with its coalition partner, the National Party, to finalize a joint policy framework expected after this weekend.
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