Members of the National Party have withdrawn support for net zero mandates from their federal policy platform, and compelled their parliamentary party to do the same, a day before a party room meeting in which leader David Littleproud said its climate policy would be settled.

Liberal MPs left a meeting on Friday broadly united in favour of reducing emissions , while also watering down targets. But on Saturday, delegates at the National Party Federal Council’s annual meeting in Canberra voted to ditch any net zero plan after hearing speeches from parliamentary leaders that lauded the party’s resolve in its split from the Liberals.

Nationals leader David Littleproud and the party’s Senate leader Bridget McKenzie at the Nationals Federal Council in Canberra on Saturday. Credit: Alex E

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