Hunter federal election candidates James Thomson and Dan Repacholi have both expressed support for their parties' 2050 net zero emissions targets.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan, whom Mr Thomson hosted at campaign events in the Hunter last week, has made headlines in recent days declaring the Coalition's 2050 target "dead".
The Nationals candidate in the Queensland mining electorate of Flynn, Colin Boyce, this week described the target as a "flexible plan" that "leaves us wiggle room".
Mr Thomson said on Wednesday that he backed the Coalition's official policy.
"The Nationals' policy when it comes to zero emissions is clear: we are committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050," he said.
"The Coalition has a sensible pathway to net zero by 2050, one that will protect jobs while preserving our existing industries in electorates such as Hunter."
Mr Repacholi, who is attempting to retain the seat for Labor after the retirement of long-time sitting member Joel Fitzgibbon, also backed the 2050 net-zero target.
"I support Labor's net zero policy that will reduce pollution and create jobs," he said.
"Labor's policy gets the balance right and is great for jobs and our environment."
Mr Thomson and the Liberals' Paterson candidate, Brooke Vitnell, have been busy hammering Labor's plans to beef up the so-called Safeguard Mechanism, which the Abbott government introduced in 2016 to limit the emissions of the nation's top 215 polluters.
They say Australia is on track to reduce emissions by up to 35 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 and Labor's plan amounts to a "carbon tax" that will put at risk 10,000 jobs in the Hunter.
Labor has dismissed the criticism as an election scare campaign and says the government's existing Safeguard Mechanism rules have not reduced emissions.
It says its plan gives companies certainty about investing in green technology while helping cut emissions by 43 per cent by 2030.
The Labor plan, published at the end of last year, involves an incremental lowering of emissions caps for each of the 215 businesses.
It says the Clean Energy Regulator will consult with industry to set emissions caps which do not disadvantage "trade-exposed" operators in international markets.
Singleton mayor Sue Moore said on Wednesday that talk of 10,000 people losing their jobs was "not helpful" and "creates hysteria unnecessarily".
"It's not the case. The mines will continue as long as their approvals allow," Cr Moore said.
She said both parties engaged in rhetoric without addressing the concerns of mining communities.
