Australians are worse than disappointed with the Coalition and want the opposition to sort out its internal differences, frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has warned, as leading moderates demand the party retain a net zero commitment but signal willingness to compromise on the time frame.

The junior Coalition partner abandoned its support of net zero emissions over the weekend and instead committed to reducing Australia’s greenhouse gas output in line with a global average, heaping pressure on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley to fall in line .

McIntosh, the Coalition’s communications spokeswoman, said she was optimistic about the party’s future because of the long history of cooperation between the partners despite rumblings of a potential challenge to Ley’s leadership.

“Australians do want

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