Interview with Laura Jayes on Sky News

SENATOR ANDREW BRAGG

Shadow Minister for Productivity and Deregulation

Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness

Liberal Senator for New South Wales

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW WITH LAURA JAYES ON SKY NEWS

03 November 2025

Subjects: Net Zero.

E&OE………

Laura Jayes

Let's head back to Canberra now. Joining me live now is Shadow Housing and Homelessness Minister Andrew Bragg, and leading Liberal Moderate, Andrew. Good to see you.

Senator Bragg

Hi Laura.

Laura Jayes

First of all, we got this reporting from Andrew Clennell in the last hour that Anne Ruston has said; well, once again, the Nationals are holding a gun to the Liberals’ head. Is that how you see it?

Senator Bragg

Well, I'm not sure that's necessarily the case because I think the Nats make some good points in terms of the implementation of the energy policies in Australia, which have led to higher prices, less industry being onshore, and haven't really made a big dent on decarbonisation. The main point I'd make is that Australia has important treaty obligations. We should maintain those, but we should do Net Zero better than Labor has done it.

Laura Jayes

How do you do that?

Senator Bragg

Well, I think you've got to start with a technology agnostic approach. I'm not sure all the subsidisation is necessary. I think you've got to look at the timetable. You've got to look at what's going to be in, what's going to be out. For example, in New Zealand, they exempt agriculture. Here, I note that the Farmers Federation actually support Net Zero. I think you've got to look at how you cut and dice it. The reality is that every country in the G20, apart from one, is in this accord. We're a very trade-exposed nation. You can cut and dice it to cut your own cloth, so to speak. I think we can do it in a way that suits Australia.

Laura Jayes

But not all of your Liberal colleagues even believe that to be true. From the reporting that Andrew Clennell brought us, some want to drop Net Zero?

Senator Bragg

Well, I don't think that's the way to go. I think that it's important that Australia shows fidelity to our international obligations. We are a massively trade-exposed nation - very different from the United States, which has a strong domestic market, and we should try and always maintain our international commitments. I think it's quite easy, frankly, because the Paris Accord requires you to get to Net Zero in the second half of this century. I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that Australia could achieve that. I would say under Labor's plan, we've got no chance of getting there.

Laura Jayes

Sure. But let's look at your path back to government. The Nationals have said no to Net Zero now, but somehow, if the Liberals stuck with Net Zero, you'd be able to work together with some cohesive message to get back into government? Please explain to me how that might work.

Senator Bragg

Well, my understanding is that they are not seeking to completely repudiate the Paris framework, and I think, as I said before, that you can get to...

Laura Jayes

But far less ambitious?

Senator Bragg

Well you can get to Net Zero at some stage this century. I think that's a starting point. We should be doing things on Australia's terms rather than having them dictated to us. I don't think that we've exhausted all avenues here. I note the extensive public commentary here shows that there's a very healthy culture within the Liberal/National Party’s where these things are ventilated. We're in the first year after a very heavy election defeat. Look, none of this really surprises me, to be honest. I guess the question is, can we thread the needle here? And that's what we all want to do.

Laura Jayes

What's the fair assessment here within the Liberals, the Nationals aside. Is your party divided about the pathway forward on Net Zero?

Senator Bragg

I think you know that there is going to be a group of people that will probably never support the idea of having Net Zero in any form. That's the reality. But people are entitled to their views. I've given you my view, and my view is that Australia is a serious country. We should show fidelity to our international obligations and commitments, but we should do Net Zero in a way that suits us; that gets power prices down, that keeps industry onshore, that helps us decarbonise. I think those things are eminently possible.

Laura Jayes

Andrew, is that the number one reason, show fidelity to our international commitments because we're a serious country. That's not something that's going to win an election, right? It's the cost of power. It's the fact that we are not prepared for an AI revolution because we are so preoccupied with meeting those Net Zero targets. I think that's the point of the Nationals. You need a full rebrand here, don't you, even if you do stick with Net Zero?

Senator Bragg

That's right. I think the point is, that I'm trying to make to you, is we have always been a country that's tried to carry our weight. My sense of the Australian people is they would expect us to not give up on decarbonisation. They also want lower power prices, and they want jobs onshore - and those are all laudable and achievable objectives. I think we're not a country that gives up. I think that if you're talking in strictly political terms here, I don't see how anyone thinks they're going to be rewarded from just saying; it's all too hard, we give up, Australia isn't going to do anything.

Laura Jayes

No, but the Nationals aren't saying that either, are they? They're just moving those targets, and they're reemphasising price and saying; well, actually, we're going to look after our constituents first. We'd love to do it, Net Zero, but we're not going to do it without harming us. What is your view on what the energy mix in a perfect world should look like? The Nationals, is it about 50% renewables, there should be way more gas and maybe even nuclear in the future. Is that a sensible position to take? Because I think that's one that people could understand.

Senator Bragg

I think it was a mistake to have closed the coal earlier than it should have been. I think you could have had more coal for longer, frankly. You should have had more gas. You should have had nuclear. I'm for all technologies. I think it's thoroughly unscientific and ridiculous to say you're against any form of energy if you can do it on the basis that it's going to be reasonably cheap and reasonably clean as part of an overall mix. I don't think what they're saying is necessarily unreasonable. I think we can work with that. That's my hope. The point I'm making to you about the international piece is that we are part of an international community. Australians understand that, and as a trading nation, that's well known to regional communities. But I'd also made the point that regional communities have been treated like dirt here in this rollout, whether it be in relation to transmission or whether it be in relation to the creation of new energy infrastructure. I don't think the points that are being made are necessarily unreasonable. My hope is that we can work through them.

Laura Jayes

What's the most important thing here, maintaining that international obligations or keeping the Coalition together?

Senator Bragg

Well, Australia is not going to completely walk away and repudiate our international obligations. I think that transcends any political individual interest.

Laura Jayes

So keeping the Coalition together, is that viable right now?

Senator Bragg

Of course it is. As I said to you, my hope is that we can thread the needle on this. The level of public discussion and knowledge of these internal matters is such that there's no real secrecy. Everyone knows what everyone else thinks. My point to you is that I would like us to be able to resolve this...

Laura Jayes

That's the problem at the moment, isn't it? Because you're not acting like a party, you're acting like a group of individuals.

Senator Bragg

I think it is messy. It was always going to be messy in this first year after such a heavy defeat. I think we should try and resolve this as soon as possible now, and then we can move on. There will probably always be people that are not going to agree with whatever the final outcome is. I've given you my view. I think that we can balance the competing objectives here, and let's see how we go over the next few weeks.

Laura Jayes

Yeah, or years. Do you think you can win the next election from where you're at now?

Senator Bragg

Look, I think right now we are not in a particularly strong position until we resolve this issue. And my view is it should be resolved in the next few weeks.

Laura Jayes

Few weeks, should be brought to a head before Christmas?

Senator Bragg

I mean, clearly, this is impacting our ability to hold the government to account. The government is hopeless. Letting the country down across the board. In the housing portfolio, for example, you're just seeing first home prices increased at the entry-level point at the highest rate in living memory. That means that the government, because they've failed to build houses, has now opened up the demand side of the market, and it's shooting up house prices. That's hurting young people. It's hurting the ability of people to buy their first home. That's on Labor. The fact is that we have Orders of the Senate to get the production of the modelling, which I'm sure would have shown that the government knew about this back from July. The government treats the Senate like dirt, and so we'll have to work with the crossbench, again, to try and embarrass the government into giving the documents that we deserve, that we're working to get on behalf of the Australian people. There are great matters of state here. The government is hopeless, and we need to be able to hold them to account. Clearly, it's harder to do so until you resolve these matters.

Laura Jayes

Yeah, we've got a fair few indicators pointing to that direction. Andrew Bragg, good to talk to you this morning. I appreciate your time.

Senator Bragg

Thanks, Laura.

[Ends]