Liberal backbencher blasts net zero in another headache for Sussan Ley

Backing a private member’s bill put forward by Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce to repeal net zero, Pasin described the target as a “surrender”.

Pasin, a conservative, told the House of Representatives that Australia transitioning to net zero emissions would do nothing to help the climate while major powers — like China and the US — continue to build coal plants.

“Since its adoption, Australia's commitment to net zero has delivered nothing but pain to the Australian people,” he said.

“It's driven up the cost of power, destroyed manufacturing and gutted regional communities, while doing nothing, absolutely nothing, to change the globe's climate.”

Pasin’s speech came at the same time Nationals MPs met in parliament, with the party widely expected to reverse its support.

Former leader Joyce, who confirmed that he will not contest his seat at the next election, was not present and will not attend Nationals meetings while he mulls a move to One Nation. He technically remains a member of the party.

Liberal sources said most MPs in the party room continued to support net zero, and believed a shift right on climate change would entrench the Coalition's electoral failures.

National backbencher Llew O’Brien, a key Joyce ally, earlier told The Australian that he expected the junior Coalition partner to abandon its support for net zero.

“I just can’t see how a Coalition with such different positions on a fundamental policy like net zero could continue to function [if the Liberals back net zero],” he said.

What they said: “Net zero has become a moral vanity project for those who can afford it, and an economic catastrophe for those who cannot,” Pasin said.

“It's easy to preach climate virtue from an inner city office, it's much harder to pay the power bill on a farm or keep the lights on in a small workshop in regional Australia.”