War of words heats up amid Liberalsâ climate battle
Two Liberals have gone head-to-head over speculation about Sussan Ley’s leadership as the coalition prepares to finalise its approach to climate change.
A Liberal senator has blasted one of her colleagues for suggesting Sussan Leyâs leadership could be under threat ahead of a series of crucial meetings where MPs will lock down their energy and climate change policy.
Conservative senator Sarah Henderson said on Friday the Liberalsâ political fortunes were flagging and Ms Ley was losing support.
Fellow Liberal Maria Kovacic said those comments were unnecessary.
âTo actually suggest that a leader who is doing exactly what they said they would do ⌠to say that theyâve done something wrong, I think itâs completely unhelpful and to be frank, probably somewhat undisciplined,â she told ABC Radio on Monday.
âWe should be focused on what Australians need from us, not what we think of a particular process that a leader has put into place,â Senator Kovacic said.
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Senator Henderson rejected the criticism, saying backbenchers could âagree to disagreeâ.
âThereâs nothing undisciplined about that,â she told Sky News.
âThis is a very important week for the Liberal Party to get its house in order.â
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Liberal MPs and senators will meet in Canberra on Wednesday to discuss their approach to energy and climate change, with the partyâs cabinet to decide its official policy the day after.
Because the Nationals have announced their plan to abandon Australiaâs climate targets if they win government, a joint meeting of Liberals and Nationals has been called for Sunday, when the coalition partners will attempt to lock in a compromise.
Conservatives within the Liberal Party have urged Ms Ley to drop support for net zero, while moderates want the policy kept for a better chance of winning back seats in city areas.
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Senator Kovacic said the coalition could remain intact despite different stances on net zero but needed to work through the policy together.
âThe challenge for us is that if we get these policies wrong, if we get the way we articulate this to Australians wrong, then our ability to regain this trust will be further damaged,â she said.
A consensus position on emission targets within the coalition would be challenging but still achievable, opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan said.
âIâve never said this would be easy. Iâve always said itâs going to be like threading a needle, but I want to do it in a respectful way, in a way where I can take my colleagues into confidence and try and work through this,â he told ABC Radio.
âWhat Iâm seeking to do this week is to make sure that weâve got a policy offering when it comes to energy and emissions reduction, which is in the national interest.â
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