Pauline Hanson’s Push to Scrap Net Zero Target Fails Amid Backlash in Senate
One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson’s urgency motion calling for Australia to abandon its net zero emissions target was decisively rejected in the Senate on Monday. The motion, which mirrored a private member’s bill introduced by Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, failed to garner sufficient support—receiving only backing from One Nation senators, UAP’s Ralph Babet, and Coalition senators Matt Canavan and Alex Antic.
Senator Hanson, a known skeptic of climate change, faced sharp criticism during the debate. South Australia’s newly appointed Labor Senator Charlotte Walker, aged 21, denounced the motion as dangerously shortsighted. “Without a net zero target, there will be no farmers, businesses, or industries left to sustain us,” she said, accusing Hanson of ignoring the realities of climate change and the future needs of younger generations.
Undeterred, Senator Hanson challenged Coalition members to back her motion, accusing them of being “cowards” for not opposing net zero more openly. In an interview with Sky News, she claimed that many lawmakers lacked the understanding to debate climate issues effectively and warned Australians of supposed restrictions on freedom and diet stemming from net zero policies—claims that are not reflected in current legislation.
Meanwhile, Barnaby Joyce renewed his campaign against the 2050 net zero target, introducing his own repeal bill and calling for a more balanced approach between urban and rural communities. He argued that city-dwellers must consider the burdens imposed on regional Australians, highlighting infrastructure disputes like airport operations and renewable energy installations.
Joyce’s bill, though unlikely to advance under the current Coalition leadership, reflects a deepening divide within the opposition over climate policy. Supported by fellow former Nationals leader Michael McCormack and Liberal MP Garth Hamilton, Joyce framed the debate as one of economic justice, warning that aggressive climate action risks hurting low-income Australians.
Despite these challenges, Australia’s net zero target remains in place, aligned with international climate commitments and supported by the majority of Parliament.
