A senior member of Sussan Ley’s shadow cabinet has warned he could quit the frontbench if the Coalition does not abandon its support for net zero, in a fresh test of the opposition leader’s authority just days after she sacked senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Western Australian MP Andrew Hastie told ABC Radio Perth on Monday that he would consider quitting the frontbench, or that he could be sacked by Ley because he believes the opposition should dump the targets.
Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie and leader Sussan Ley.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Ley ordered a review of the Coalition’s climate policy by her energy spokesman, Dan Tehan, after the disastrous 2025 election in which the Peter Dutton-led opposition promised to build up to seven nuclear power stations to meet Australia’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
During the interview, he was asked what he would do if Ley kept the Coalition committed to supporting the net zero target and responded, “That leaves me without a job”.
“My primary mission in politics is to build a stronger, more secure, more competitive Australia. Energy security is a vital input into that, so that’s my bottom line,” he told ABC Radio.
“I’ve nailed my colours to the mast.”
Hastie said Ley had no choice but to demote Price last week because “Jacinta Nampijinpa Price didn’t express support for her leadership, and one of the conditions for serving in the shadow cabinet or the outer ministry is that you support the leader”.
Asked if Ley had his full support, Hastie said: “She has my support … I wouldn’t be sitting here speaking with you as the shadow minister for home affairs”.
While Hastie’s statement about the necessity of Price resigning is factually accurate because of the need to maintain shadow cabinet solidarity, it will also be interpreted by some MPs as provocative and unnecessary just days after the NT senator’s sacking.
