The spectacular nonsense of the Coalition’s internal brawl over the 2050 net zero emissions target

‘The federal Liberals and Nationals have never supported the idea of reaching net zero by 2050 … We know this because they have not backed a policy – not one – to try to meet it.’ Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

The best thing that can be said about the Coalition’s internal brawl over whether to abandon its support for reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is that it has some honesty in it. Not much honesty, but if you look closely you may see some light breaking through.

The federal Liberals and Nationals have never supported the idea of reaching net zero by 2050. Some individual MPs have but not the parties. We know this because they have not backed a policy to help meet it since Scott Morrison adopted the target in 2021 to try to deflect rising pressure at home and abroad.