'Just ideology': Former PM Scott Morrison walks back his own net zero target of 2050

Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has labelled the Coalition's net zero goal as "just ideology" in a stunning reversal of his own government's position.

Morrison orchestrated the net zero target alongside ex-Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, but now said he no longer backed the commitment of hitting it by 2050, seemingly giving Opposition Leader Sussan Ley the thumbs up to walk back the party pledge.

"Net Zero at any cost on any rigid timetable is not policy, it's just ideology," Morrison said of his once-strict target.

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"There is a practical and growing acceptance that 2050 is likely to push right, but that does not mean an abandonment of low and zero emissions technologies."

The former PM said his 2021 position on a net zero target was a "practical direction" and not a mandate.

He argued the landscape of climate change has changed drastically in the past four years, along with his opinion on how and when net zero could be reached.

Morrison said he still backed a net zero aspiration but relented on his previous view that the Coalition should legislate its way to a 2050 target.

"Post COVID, energy demand is rising with AI needs and private capital is being deployed at scale to solve the affordability, reliability and emissions challenge in a way we have not seen before," Morrison added.

"In 2021 we were also facing a potential capital strike on Australia from OS investors as they responded to US policy under President Biden.

"This has also changed."

Morrison pointed to Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates' recent change of approach to climate change. 

In a recent post on his personal website, Gates said that the "doomsday view" – that it will "decimate civilisation" – is wrong.

"Emissions projections have gone down, and with the right policies and investments, innovation will allow us to drive emissions down much further," Gates wrote.

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Morrison said Gates continues to be "relevant" in the conversation around climate policy.

"It's common sense to ensure our policy settings are right and practical for the world as it is, not as it was or what you would like to pretend it is," Morrison added in his post.

"That's where you find the national interest."

Morrison unveiled Australia's plan to reach net zero emissions almost exactly four years ago.

He said the plan would focus on "technologies not taxes" and will include both Australians in cities and the regions.

"We knew you could not legislate or tax the world to lower emissions," Morrison added in his post.

"Private capital not politics was always going to be the answer. This remains the sensible approach."

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There has been division among Coalition ranks over the feasibility of net zero by 2050.

Joyce and Nationals MP Michael McCormack have jointly backed a private member bill to repeal net zero.

In July, Joyce – who has since snubbed the Nationals over its net zero position – described the climate policy as a "lunatic crusade".

Shadow education minister Jonno Duniam warned many would leave the frontbench if Ley supports the target,

Ley said she would review the party's climate policy after its historic defeat at the May federal election.

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