The Liberal Party’s moderate faction threatened resignations, defections and a possible split from the Nationals if the party dropped net zero, but most MPs appear to have fallen in line behind Opposition Leader Sussan Ley as the party abandoned the policy on Thursday.

Despite successive elections that have seen the faction’s parliamentary base hollowed out by teal independents in capital cities, members have backed away from condemning the new Liberal climate policy, which signals more coal and gas and frames net zero only as an unintentional but “welcome outcome”.

NSW senator Andrew Bragg, who was one of the most vocal crusaders for keeping the target within the faction, last weekend said he would resign from the frontbench if the party walked away from net zero and Paris. However, h

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