July 29, 2025
Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien and Member for Flynn Colin Boyce have publicly backed former Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce’s call for the Federal Government to scrap Australia’s “net zero” carbon commitment.
The two MPs joined Mr Joyce, Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, Member for Groom Garth Hamilton and former Nationals leader Michael McCormack in a media conference outside Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.
The MPs were backing Mr Joyce’s Private Member’s Bill, “Repeal Net Zero Bill 2025”, which was put to the House of Representatives on Monday, seconded by Mr Boyce.
Mr Boyce told State Parliament the net zero policy would “ultimately destroy” Australia’s economic base.
“What will it cost in manufacturing jobs? What will it cost for the prosperity of ordinary Australians,” he asked.
On Facebook, Mr Joyce said Australia was “seeing the adverse effects on everything from the cost-of-living to the closure of industry, to the removal of agricultural land from production, the division of rural communities as they contend with imposed intermittent power precincts, reduction of the reliability in the power grid, a massive increase in power costs, destruction to the environment, closure of crucial manufacturing sectors, a weakening of our capacity to defend our nation by reason of a narrowing of our manufacturing and industrial base, and all of this and more without any prospect whatsoever of any effect on the climate because the majority of the globe is not participating”.
Private Members’ Bills rarely succeed or even make it to a vote, however pundits have suggested the Labor Government may not end the Parliamentary debate as it is highlighting policy differences both between and within the Liberal Party and Nationals.
In the Senate, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also moved a motion “as a matter or urgency” on Monday calling for the abolition of net zero.
Most Liberals and Nationals abstained from voting however Senator Canavan, Liberal Alex Antic and United Australia Party’s Ralph Babet voted alongside the four One Nation senators to support the motion, which was lost 39-7.
* * *
Member for Flynn Colin Boyce speaking in State Parliament
