Nationals Leader Matt Canavan called on the Labor government to scrap its net-zero emissions target to reduce government spending.

The proposal marks a significant escalation in the political divide over Australia's climate commitments and the fiscal cost of transitioning the energy sector.

Speaking during an interview with host Andrew Bolt on Sky News Australia, Canavan said the current policy framework is unsustainable. He said that the pursuit of net-zero has created a substantial financial burden on the public purse.

Canavan said that the government has increased spending on net-zero by $12 billion [1] over the past year. He linked this expenditure to a broader pattern of fiscal mismanagement by the current administration.

"We don't reward a government that brazenly lies without remorse," Canavan said.

The Nationals leader suggested that abandoning the target would allow the government to redirect funds, or reduce the national deficit. He said that the economic impact of the current climate strategy outweighs its projected environmental benefits.

Canavan's comments come as the government continues to implement policies aimed at reaching net-zero emissions. The debate centers on whether the financial cost of these initiatives is justifiable during a period of spending blowouts.

"Just in the past year, the government has increased spending on net-zero by $12 billion," Canavan said [1].

“"Just in the past year, the government has increased spending on net-zero by $12 billion."”

This call to abandon net-zero targets reflects a growing tension between environmental mandates and fiscal conservatism within the Australian political landscape. By framing climate policy as a spending issue rather than an ecological one, the Nationals are attempting to pivot the debate toward economic stability and government accountability.