David Littleproud faces push at National party conference to dump net zero commitment

National party leader David Littleproud with Barnaby Joyce and Bridget McKenzie. Some party sources have interpreted the motion to wind back the party’s net zero commitment as a strategic strike intended to destabilise Littleproud’s leadership. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, will face a concerted push at the federal conference of the party this weekend to dump its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

Guardian Australia has obtained a copy of a motion submitted by Barnaby Joyce’s federal electorate council in New England that calls on the Nationals parliamentary party room to “abolish its policy of net zero by 2050, and adopt a policy that will reduce Australia’s CO₂ emissions in collaboration with the rest of the world”.