The National Party future of Gympie’s Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien is no longer under an emissions cloud after his colleagues voted unanimously on Sunday to pursue an emissions reduction plan that does not include net zero by 2050 and does not rely on renewables.
The meeting of Nationals MPs in Canberra endorsed a “technology agnostic” pursuit of reduced emissions, including High Efficiency Low Emissions coal technology which uses higher temperature and higher pressure steam, using less coal.
Party leader David Littleproud asked Australians and their media to “open your minds,” saying the current Government’s pursuit of net zero by reliance on renewables and storage was costing jobs and hurting consumers, while also destroying farmland and natural habitat.
He said the party was committed to preserving jobs and providing cheap power, as well as reducing emissions, asking people to “open your minds to a better and cheaper way to achieve it.”
He said the proposal for nuclear reactors was at sites (including in the South Burnett) where they would use existing water allocations and existing powerlines.
“The National Party will stand up for Australians who have trouble paying their energy bills and losing jobs in heavy industry.”
He said environmental groups were lying by attacking farmers for allegedly clearing remnant vegetation, when it was regrowth.
Mr O’Brien said he was happy with the result.
“I moved the motion at the National Party federal council to instruct MPs to abandon net zero and only one or two out of more than 100 voted against it.
“Obviously there is a lot of detail, but we’re in a better position now.
“It’s difficult to unscramble Labor’s egg.
“We’re going to structure things so there is a level playing field and we’re looking at putting coal and gas into the Capacity Investment Scheme.
“We want cheap reliable electricity,” he said, arguing it was possible to do this while still caring for the environment.
Solar panels and transmissions lines were headed towards occupying an area “three times the size of Tasmania.”
“We were promised electricity $275 a year cheaper – that hasn’t eventuated and nor have promises of prosperity and jobs.
“We’re in the business of putting Australia first and not the UN,” he said.
Mr O’Brien said his stance had received overwhelming social media support in Wide Bay.
Mr Littleproud said the party would tie Australia to the actual performance of other advanced economies, and not try to get ahead of them, nor lag behind.
Questioned closely on national television recently, Mr O’Brien agreed that he would probably have no option but to resign from the Nationals if the party did not ditch net zero by 2050.
“It would not be the party I joined,” he said.
As reported in Gympie Today’s 24 October edition, Mr O’Brien said the 2050 target was unachievable and went against his principles of smaller government and individual freedom.
Both Mr Littleproud and Mr O’Brien have previously voted against net zero.
The Nationals’ meeting came after an apparently inconclusive Liberal Party meeting last week.
