Council & Politics
27 November, 2025
Mallee MP pleased with net zero decision
MUCH has been made this week about the Liberal party’s decision to follow its Coalition partners, the Nationals, in abandoning the pursuit for net zero emissions by the year 2050, with Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster excited to see her party following the wishes of a majority of Mallee residents. Over 5,300 Mallee voters’ answers to Mallee’s Biggest Survey, conducted since the federal election, showed over two-thirds of participants opposed net zero and over 82 per cent opposed paying over $50 a year towards it.
Dr Webster said she was pleased the Coalition had reached a principled position, working together in a pragmatic, consultative and respectful way and securing specific policy to address the reckless railroading of regional communities in Mallee and beyond.
“The Coalition’s decision to drop net zero puts Australians and Mallee first,” Dr Webster said.
“Our plan is far cheaper than Labor’s $9 trillion net zero plan, which would put Medicare and NDIS at risk.
“The Coalition is putting Mallee households first and protecting household budgets during a cost-of-living crisis.”
Dr Webster said Mallee voters know net zero is failing Australians and Labor's economics of lowering emissions needed to be challenged, with Australia outpacing other countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) yet reaping very little benefit.
“OECD countries have been cutting their emissions by 1 per cent per year while Australia has been cutting its emissions by about 2 per cent per year, double the OECD rate,” she said.
“We should do our fair share to reduce global emissions, but not more than the rest of the world. There is no value in streaking ahead of the nation at the cost of our energy security, food security and jobs.”
Dr Webster was adamant the opinions of Mallee residents were being heard by the Coalition.
“The voices of Mallee’s farmers and farming communities have been loud and clear that they do not want to be railroaded into imposed wind turbines, solar panels and hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines under Federal and Victorian Labor net zero policies,” she said.