Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan has urged his party to retain the net zero emissions target by 2050, arguing that conservatives should embrace accountability and stewardship of the environment. Writing in a column, McLachlan said there is 'no coherent reason to run away from a net zero target' and that abandoning it would alienate voters, especially in inner-city electorates.
McLachlan, who describes himself as a conservative Liberal, said his views are shaped by his Celtic upbringing and Anglican faith, which place nature at the centre of decision-making. He criticised a strain of thinking on the right that views the natural world as something from which to extract wealth, insisting that conservatives are stewards, not owners, of the planet.
The senator noted that the net zero target was originally adopted by former prime minister Scott Morrison and later followed by Peter Dutton. He argued that retaining the target is essential for holding Labor accountable, as the opposition adopted the same goal. 'It will be impossible to hold Labor to account if we do not share the very same aspiration that was once ours,' he wrote.
McLachlan also linked the rise of the teal movement to the Liberal Party's failure to demonstrate environmental commitment. He called for the party to reconcile with nature and show that it can manage the economy on the journey to decarbonisation. He warned that abandoning the target would disappoint Pacific Island nations that rely on Australia's friendship and commitment to their wellbeing.
