Sussan Ley needs Coalition climate war to end, and fast, to take fight to Labor

Politics

Federal

Climate policy

Opinion

James Massola Chief Political Commentator September 18, 2025 — 7.30pm

For the past week, as the federal government prepared to release its 2035 emissions reduction target , the Coalition has been at war with itself again over the 2050 net zero target for which the Morrison government signed up Australia.

But on Thursday, for once, Coalition MPs found themselves on the same page.

For political reasons as much as any other, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley had next to no choice but to oppose the interim targets after shadow ministerial colleague – and potential future leadership challenger – Andrew Hastie rekindled the climate fight and threatened to quit the frontbench if the Coalition maintained its support for net zero.

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