Net zero Liberals policy: Hastie rebukes party members ‘living in Howard era’ as opposition weighs rebrand

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has launched a defence of “so-called populist” movements and renewed his push against Australia’s net zero target as Coalition MPs warn their colleagues about the costs of entirely dumping climate goals and consider sticking with Labor’s pledge by a different name.

Sussan Ley’s opposition has been heading towards a potential compromise on net zero, as revealed in this masthead , that would involve stripping the target and 2050 date from legislation to make it aspirational and exempting heavy industries.

But the Liberal Party is still wrestling with how to settle on a new policy in the face of opposition to any net zero pledge from MPs including Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and others.

A wide group of conservative and moderate MPs including Dan Tehan, re