Liberal Senator Defends Backbench Dissent as Party Tensions Flare Ahead of Climate Policy Showdown
Henderson faces colleague's rebuke for attacking senior MP, doubles down on ABC accountability demands
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Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson defended her right to publicly criticize party colleagues Monday, pushing back against claims she showed poor judgment in attacking a senior frontbencher as the opposition gears up for a make-or-break week on climate policy.
Henderson told Sky News AM Agenda she would not apologize for comments targeting fellow Liberal Susan Ley, after colleague Maria Kovacic accused her of going “too hard” and showing a lack of discipline. The clash exposes fractures within the opposition ahead of critical meetings that could determine the party’s climate stance heading into the election.
“From the backbench we can agree to disagree,” Henderson said. “So there’s nothing undisciplined about that.”
The public spat comes as Liberal MPs prepare to thrash out their position on net zero emissions targets at a Wednesday meeting, followed by Shadow Cabinet discussions Thursday and a joint party room session Sunday. Henderson made clear she wants the party to abandon net zero entirely, calling it “an economic and environmental disaster.”
“I’m really hoping that we reject net zero in its entirety because it’s not fit for purpose for a country such as ours,” Henderson said.
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Party Unity Under Pressure
The internal tensions underscore broader challenges facing the Liberal Party as it attempts to present a unified front on climate policy while managing competing factions within its ranks. Henderson framed the coming days as pivotal for the opposition’s credibility.
“This is a very important week for the Liberal Party to get its house in order and to demonstrate that we are really fighting for Australians,” she said.
Henderson defended the tradition of backbench MPs speaking freely on policy matters, even when those views diverge from official party positions. She noted the party is still “working through our net zero policy,” suggesting room remains for debate ahead of final decisions.
“One of the really big hallmarks with Liberal Party backbenchers is that we are entitled to speak our mind and we are entitled to prosecute policies as we see and they don’t always accord with formal Liberal Party policy,” Henderson said.
Despite rejecting Kovacic’s criticism, Henderson acknowledged the need for party cohesion this week. She commended Ley for “bringing us all together on Wednesday to thrash this out.”
Climate Policy Battle Lines
Henderson laid out an aggressive case against net zero commitments, arguing they are fundamentally unsuited to Australia’s resource-rich economy. She contrasted Australia’s position with European nations that have embraced the targets.
“Net zero is a disaster, and anyone who’s prosecuting the net zero case now, when we know that it’s taking our country backwards, we know these policies and laws of Labor’s are an utter disaster for our nation, then I don’t think that’s particularly responsible,” Henderson said.
She argued that while net zero “might work in Europe, it might work in the UK, in France, where there are very high levels of nuclear power,” Australia should chart a different course based on its natural resources.
“We are a resource-rich country, we are blessed with so much coal and gas and uranium and critical minerals, we cannot turn our back on these resources,” Henderson said. “These are the resources which have made us such a strong and prosperous nation over so many decades.”
The senator’s comments signal potential resistance within the party to any climate policy compromise, raising questions about whether party leadership can forge consensus ahead of Sunday’s crucial meeting.
ABC Accountability Demands
Henderson also used the interview to renew calls for sweeping accountability reforms at the ABC, drawing comparisons to recent resignations at the BBC following a documentary scandal there.
The senator said ABC executives should have been fired over the broadcaster’s doctored documentary involving former commando Heston Russell, who successfully sued the ABC for defamation after being falsely portrayed as a war criminal.
“No heads rolled. And I do believe heads should have rolled. That was a shocking error by the ABC,” Henderson said. “I cannot believe that the head of News and Current Affairs is still in the job that he is in after what happened with Heston Russell.”
Henderson argued the ABC should face “higher standards of accountability” similar to those at the BBC, where the Director-General and Head of News recently stepped down over a separate documentary scandal. She pointed to BBC transparency requirements around executive pay and gifts as a model Australia should follow.
“There are much higher standards of accountability at the BBC, including full transparency in relation to what senior executives are paid and what gifts they received,” Henderson said. “I prosecuted that case very strongly a number of years ago, but was rebuffed, of course, by Labor and the Greens, who do not want to see stronger accountability at the ABC.”
The senator suggested the ABC’s handling of the Russell case showed deliberate misconduct rather than simple error.
“It did look in part deliberate, frankly, because they didn’t act quickly when they knew the facts were wrong as they should have acted,” Henderson said.
She called for a complete rewrite of the ABC Act to strengthen oversight of the public broadcaster.
“I’m a strong advocate for a rewrite of the ABC Act to hold the ABC to account, because I don’t think the current legislation governing the ABC is fit for purpose,” Henderson said.
Balancing Criticism and Support
Henderson attempted to soften her critique by acknowledging the broadcaster’s positive contributions, describing herself as “a strong supporter of the ABC.” She said the organization “does some very good work” but must face consequences for “egregious errors.”
The senator noted “some other very egregious errors as well” beyond the Russell case, though she did not provide specific examples during the interview.
Her comments reflect ongoing conservative criticism of the ABC, which has faced sustained pressure from Liberal politicians over perceived bias and editorial decisions. Henderson’s call for a legislative overhaul represents one of the more aggressive reform proposals from within the opposition.
Critical Week Ahead
The confluence of internal party tensions and major policy decisions sets up a defining period for the Liberal Party. Henderson’s willingness to publicly air disagreements with colleagues while advocating for positions at odds with some party members highlights the challenges facing leadership as they navigate competing interests.
The Wednesday meeting will serve as an initial test of whether the party can find common ground on climate policy. Shadow Cabinet discussions Thursday will formalize leadership positions before the full party room weighs in Sunday.
Henderson framed her participation in these discussions around fighting for “the Australian people” rather than internal party politics, suggesting she views climate policy through an economic lens rather than primarily as an environmental question.
Whether party leadership can bridge the gap between members like Henderson who want to abandon net zero entirely and those advocating different approaches will determine the opposition’s climate credentials heading into campaign season. The public nature of current disagreements adds pressure to deliver a unified position by week’s end.
The senator’s ABC comments, meanwhile, position her as a leading voice for broadcaster accountability reforms should the Coalition return to government, setting up potential future conflicts over the public broadcaster’s independence and oversight structure.
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