Senator McKenzie is one of just four Nationals in the 23-member cabinet, alongside 19 Liberals. You’ll have to check with Barnaby if he doesn’t,” Senator McKenzie responded. Senator McKenzie was asked by Labor’s Kristina Keneally whether she agreed with Senator Canavan, who had on Tuesday warned things could get “a little bit ugly” if the net-zero plan was approved by cabinet without addressing the Nationals’ concerns.
SENATE SECRET HOUSE PLAN DRAWING FULL
He joked about “batting a full innings”.īut across Parliament House, in the Senate chamber, Senator McKenzie was fielding her own barrage of questions. Tweet from the House of Representatives’ question time on Wednesday, every Labor question went to Mr Joyce on the net-zero target. Speaking on the ABC, Mr Littleproud denied the price of the Nationals’ support would be anything as specific as a new coal-fired power station, but said the negotiations would “inevitably” involve funds for regions. Mr Littleproud said on Wednesday that “if you’re a coal miner today … you are still going to have a job well beyond 2030, well beyond 2040”.
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It’s not clear what the Nationals will ask for in their submission to Mr Morrison, but it has been reported it could include employment safeguards for particular industries. “I believe within the day, within the next day, we will get back to him because we are not grandstanding,” Mr Joyce said of his meetings with Mr Morrison. The group will document their concerns, which Mr Joyce will take to Mr Morrison, before further negotiations later this week and potentially a final result early next week. Senator McKenzie is in that sub-group, as are deputy leader David Littleproud, Resources Minister Keith Pitt, and MP Kevin Hogan. With Mr Morrison and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce confirming the net-zero plan will be ultimately approved by cabinet – not the Coalition party room – the target seems an inevitability within days.īut the Nationals are baring their teeth in the final negotiations, with Mr Joyce forming a sub-group of four colleagues who will draw up a list of demands in exchange for the party’s support. Wednesday’s instalment in a week-long public negotiation sets up a scenario where Mr Morrison gets final last-minute approval on the net-zero plan mere hours before hopping on a plane to Glasgow for the COP26 climate summit. But we’ve been very clear, we’re not agreeing to anything that isn’t right for the regions,” Senator McKenzie said on Wednesday. “It would be best, obviously, for the Coalition that we come to an agreement. The prime minister is seeking Coalition backing to take a 2050 target to the COP26 climate talks.