Former Liberal MPs Slam Net Zero U-Turn, Claiming It's a Death Knell for Urban Seats
A recent decision by the opposition to abandon its net zero emissions target has been met with fierce criticism from former Liberal MPs, who describe it as an "existential crisis" and a recipe for electoral irrelevance in urban seats. The move comes after months of infighting and protracted meetings within the party.
The Liberal party's decision to ditch its legislated net zero emissions target and commitment to renewable energy projects has been deemed a nail in the coffin by several former moderate MPs, who claim it will guarantee that the party loses inner-city and suburban seats at the next election. A recent poll conducted by the Liberal-aligned thinktank Blueprint Institute found that 52% of former Coalition voters would only consider voting for a party with credible policies on addressing climate change.
The move has been slammed as "another nail in the coffin" by several former MPs, who claim it undermines the party's identity and signals an end to its relevance in urban areas. One former MP described the decision as "a recipe for those seats becoming a lot more difficult to ever have a chance of reclaiming."
Former moderate Liberal MP Keith Wolahan also criticized the decision, stating that debate on climate change has been driven by emotion and virtue signalling rather than substance. He warned that unless the party wins more metropolitan seats, it will remain a voice in opposition only.
However, one former MP, Lucy Wicks, took a different view, arguing that the policy announcement showed the party was beginning to stand up for a purpose, even if it doesn't win them seats. She emphasized that politics is not just about winning but also about having a vision for the country's future and bringing people along on that journey.
The decision has significant implications for the Liberal party's prospects at the next election, particularly in urban areas where climate change and environmental issues have become increasingly important to voters. As one former MP put it, "Yesterday guaranteed losing the votes of everybody under the age of 50 in one fell swoop." The outcome suggests that the party must fundamentally rethink its approach if it hopes to regain relevance in these key demographics.
A recent decision by the opposition to abandon its net zero emissions target has been met with fierce criticism from former Liberal MPs, who describe it as an "existential crisis" and a recipe for electoral irrelevance in urban seats. The move comes after months of infighting and protracted meetings within the party.
The Liberal party's decision to ditch its legislated net zero emissions target and commitment to renewable energy projects has been deemed a nail in the coffin by several former moderate MPs, who claim it will guarantee that the party loses inner-city and suburban seats at the next election. A recent poll conducted by the Liberal-aligned thinktank Blueprint Institute found that 52% of former Coalition voters would only consider voting for a party with credible policies on addressing climate change.
The move has been slammed as "another nail in the coffin" by several former MPs, who claim it undermines the party's identity and signals an end to its relevance in urban areas. One former MP described the decision as "a recipe for those seats becoming a lot more difficult to ever have a chance of reclaiming."
Former moderate Liberal MP Keith Wolahan also criticized the decision, stating that debate on climate change has been driven by emotion and virtue signalling rather than substance. He warned that unless the party wins more metropolitan seats, it will remain a voice in opposition only.
However, one former MP, Lucy Wicks, took a different view, arguing that the policy announcement showed the party was beginning to stand up for a purpose, even if it doesn't win them seats. She emphasized that politics is not just about winning but also about having a vision for the country's future and bringing people along on that journey.
The decision has significant implications for the Liberal party's prospects at the next election, particularly in urban areas where climate change and environmental issues have become increasingly important to voters. As one former MP put it, "Yesterday guaranteed losing the votes of everybody under the age of 50 in one fell swoop." The outcome suggests that the party must fundamentally rethink its approach if it hopes to regain relevance in these key demographics.
. I think they're making a huge mistake by backing away from their net zero target. It's like, yeah sure, politics can be tough, but this is climate change we're talking about 
! People are already so passionate and concerned about it, and I feel like the party is just not taking it seriously enough 
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. It's like, okay, so you're still in opposition... what does that even mean?
u think this decision is a big mistake? like they just gave up on climate change, i dont get why they cant have both economic growth and a clean environment 
I mean, have you seen the stats on climate change and net zero? Like, the UK's carbon emissions are only 12% below 1990 levels 
2025 will be a crucial year for the Liberal party to make up some ground... or else they'll be stuck in opposition forever 
52% of former Coalition voters care about credible climate policies - talk about a ticking time bomb 
40% of Australians think the government's handling of climate change is getting worse 
i mean i'm all for taking care of the planet and stuff but can't we just have a calm conversation about this? no more u-turns 
and honestly i don't get why they made such a drastic move 
didn't they realize it was gonna cause a stir? 
I mean, come on... can't they just get their act together already? 
Abandoning a net zero emissions target after months of infighting is just gonna make them look even more divided and out of touch with the younger voters who actually care about climate change. 
. Those Liberal MPs are right, the party needs to rethink its approach if it wants to win back urban seats. But at the same time, I feel like Lucy Wicks is spot on – having a vision for the future and bringing people along is what politics is all about 
And when it comes to who's most concerned about climate change, it's the young people - 70% of 18-24-year-olds say it's a big issue for them 
. The party needs to shift its focus towards climate action and sustainability if it wants to stay relevant. And let's be real, the young people aren't going to forget about climate change just because the party changes its policy 
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. Anything less is just a recipe for electoral irrelevance 
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It seems like they're trying to just appease everyone instead of having a clear plan. I don't get how this is going to help them win votes... 
... what's next? 
We need leaders who can take a stand on climate change 
. It's all about the future of our planet 
and we can't afford to be divided by petty politics 
, I'm already feeling the heat 
from this decision... if the Libs want to win back my vote, they need to get serious about climate action 
.
. Can we just have one solid policy direction for once? 
️. By ditching its net zero target, they're essentially saying that climate action isn't important to them 
Losing inner-city and suburban seats is not the end of the world, but it's definitely a setback for the party. And what's with all these ex-Liberal MPs saying that climate change debate has been driven by emotion and virtue signalling? 
. She's right, politics is about having a vision for the future and bringing people along with you. Maybe the party just needs to revamp its approach and start taking climate change seriously again 
.
anyway i was thinking of buying a new laptop today and i saw the prices are so high 
what's up with that?