Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston has held the line on the Coalition’s ongoing review of its energy policy, refusing to engage with Pauline Hanson’s Senate motion that sought to wedge opposition MPs on its 2050 net zero emissions target.
Under the instruction of Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, most Coalition MPs abstained from Hanson’s motion proposing the abandoning of the net zero target. The exceptions were moderate backbenchers Jane Hume and Andrew McLachlan, who voted against Hanson, and right-wingers Matt Canavan and Alex Antic, who supported One Nation.
Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston.Credit: Renee Nowytarger
Ruston said she would respect the “broad range of views” in the opposition party room but would reserve judgment until the conclusion of the Coalition’s energy review, commissioned following its election defeat in May.
“We go through a really robust process around what our energy policy is going to be going forward, underpinned by making sure we’ve got a stable energy grid and that we play our part in reducing emissions in a responsible and transparent way,” said Ruston, who was in shadow cabinet when Hanson’s motion was tabled.
“The one thing that I’m always doing is respect all of those views, I want to hear all the views of mine, my colleagues, and then we’ll go through a respectful process, and come up with a united policy.”
Hanson’s motion was tabled on the same day that maverick Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce tabled legislation in the House of Representatives proposing to remove the net zero target.
The Nationals appear ready to walk away from the emissions target, while Ley has remained coy about the Liberals’ stance on the future target.
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