Coalition MPs should stop questioning climate change science and instead fully embrace emissions policies to deliver net zero by 2050, the Liberal senator Maria Kovacic says, warning that Australia’s environment and economy are at risk.
After its historic drubbing at the 3 May election, some Coalition MPs are preparing for a protracted brawl over climate targets, leaving support for net zero policies under the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, in significant doubt.
Nationals including Matt Canavan and Barnaby Joyce, as well as the Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie, have questioned net zero plans in the lead-up to a policy review ordered by Ley. The shadow energy and emissions reduction minister, Dan Tehan, told Guardian Australia this week that the financial cost may shape the Coalition’s decision on whether to abandon the target.
But Kovacic, a New South Wales moderate and newly appointed shadow assistant minister, said the Coalition needed to maintain support for net zero, first agreed by the former Morrison government.
“Ultimately, we believe, as the Liberal party, in reducing emissions and ensuring that we are part of a global effort,” Kovacic said.
“In terms of developing further policies … that’s going to be a matter for the party room, but I think it’s really important that we don’t talk about, ‘Oh, is it real, or isn’t it real?’
“It’s real, and our job is now to determine how we’re going to reduce emissions and ensure that we don’t leave a significant problem for future generations, in terms of how they’re going to manage the impacts of climate on our environment and on our economy.”
She made the comments in an interview for Guardian Australia’s Australian Politics podcast released on Friday.
“This is not just an environmental imperative. It’s an economic imperative, and we have some great opportunities with our solar and wind resources in Australia to actually become global leaders in that space.
“Let’s find a solution for people that ensures we get our emissions down and we have clean and cheap energy. I think that’s what Australians are looking for us to do.”
Kovacic called for respectful and constructive discussions in the Coalition joint party room about the topic.
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“We need to ensure that the people who vote for us feel that what we’re going to do is aligned with what’s important to them. Otherwise, guess what? They’re not going to vote for us again.
“If we don’t listen it’s not going to get better for us. It will get worse.”
Ley has appointed Kovacic shadow assistant minister to the opposition leader, as well as shadow assistant minister for women, child protection and the prevention of family violence.
The former prime minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said he believed Australia should stick with net zero.
“My view hasn’t changed and the reasons for saying it at the time hasn’t changed,” he told Sky News.
“I didn’t want us to become an island when it came to investment of capital, which was becoming a pretty serious problem, so I thought we took the right approach.”
This article was amended on 13 June 2025. An earlier version incorrectly stated Dan Tehan was the shadow environment minister. He is the shadow energy and emissions reduction minister.
