Essay by Eric Worrall
Three state branches of Australia’s main opposition party have voted to dump Net Zero.
Queensland Liberals vote to ditch net zero
Andrew Tillett Foreign affairs, defence correspondent
Aug 22, 2025 – 3.48pm…
The convention passed a motion calling for a “flexible” approach to emissions reduction and for the federal party to abandon the commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, a policy adopted under Scott Morrison’s prime ministership.
The motion is not binding on the federal party room but follows similar resolutions passed by the West Australian and South Australian branches, putting pressure on Ley amid a sweeping review into the Coalition’s policies.
Home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce are the highest profile members to call for the net zero pledge to be axed, while conservative activist group Advance is lobbying MPs to dump the policy.
…
This political shift is encouraging, though it is sad the federal leader of the Liberals is still clinging to the failed politics of yesterday.
Something needs to change. Mining and heavy industry in Australia is in big trouble, thanks to skyrocketing prices.
BlueScope warns soaring energy costs threaten Australian manufacturing as profit drops 90pc
By Kelly Fuller
ABC Illawarra
Topic:Steel
Mon 18 AugIn short:
BlueScope reports a 90 per cent fall in full-year profit amid soaring energy costs and volatile trade policies.
CEO Mark Vassella says urgent reforms are needed to secure Australia’s manufacturing future.
What’s next?
It has argued its case for reform in a submission to the federal government’s Gas Market Review.
BlueScope has sounded the alarm over Australia’s energy crisis, warning that unsustainably high gas prices are pushing domestic manufacturing to a “tipping point”.
The steelmaker has reported a full year profit of $84 million, a 90 per cent drop from the $721 million reported a year ago.
Speaking after the company’s AGM, BlueScope CEO Mark Vassella said energy costs in Australia are now three to four times higher than in the US and risked undermining the country’s Future Made in Australia vision.
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BlueScope goes on to argue for a bigger protected domestic market, to shield producers from international gas prices, but reducing the return on investment for energy producers probably isn’t the best solution to a price and availability crisis.
The reality is, Australia is not short of energy resources – we have some of the most abundant coal and gas fields in the world, not to mention our world class uranium and Thorium deposits. But all of our Uranium is exported, and domestic exploitation of fossil fuel resources has been systematically discouraged for decades, by politicians whose focus has been on issues other than economic development.
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