The NSW Nationals have voted to abandon Australia’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at their weekend state conference in Coffs Harbour, creating pressure on federal Nationals leader David Littleproud to follow suit. The motion, moved by the Tweed state electorate council, easily passed with 60 to 65% support after a vigorous debate among 300 delegates.
Young Nationals chair Jayden Whaites drew applause for his passionate speech in support of dropping the target. Whaites argued that there was no point in having a target without a pathway to achieve it, highlighting the replacement of real farms with solar farms, causing tension among farming communities.
The chairman of the NSW Nationals, Rick Colless, stated that supporters of abandoning the target pointed out that Australia’s major trading partners, including the US, are moving away from net zero by 2050. Colless also mentioned that the coalition’s current policy supports a net zero target, which business groups have endorsed for its provision of certainty.
The NSW Nationals’ platform does not have the same binding effect on state and federal parliamentary parties as Labor’s platform, but it serves as a strong signal to both state and federal leaders. “The grassroots members get the opportunity to express their concerns. The resolutions then go to the state and federal party. It doesn’t bind them to the position; it’s more of a recommendation,” Colless explained.
The NSW Nationals also voted on a separate resolution calling on the party to “embrace coal” as an energy source, keep existing coal-fired power stations open, and build new high-efficiency, low-emission coal power stations in the future.
David Littleproud has been contacted for comment.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/15/nsw-nationals-vote-to-dump-net-zero-by-2050-increasing-pressure-on-littleproud-to-follow-suit
