A Coalition senator has declared "net zero is dead" just hours after Scott Morrison clarified his government was still committed to the climate target.
Nationals senator Matt Canavan, a long-time opponent of net zero, told ABC
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The climate and energy debate has erupted in the third week of the federal election campaign amid mixed messages from the Coalition and Labor on key policies.
Mr Morrison started Tuesday campaigning in Townsville, where he has announced a $275 million commitment to clean hydrogen and carbon capture and storage projects.
The announcement comes amid confusion over the Coalition's commitment to a net zero by 2050 target, only agreed to last year after the Nationals belatedly signed-up.
The Coalition's candidate in Gladstone-based seat of Flynn, Colin Boyce, this week claimed the government's strategy was flexible and there was "wiggle room as we proceed in the future".
Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce and Queensland senator Matt Canavan have backed in Mr Boyce's statement.
Moderate Liberals including Trent Zimmerman and Jason Falinksi have reportedly moved to reiterate the Coaliton's climate commitment, likely fearful of a voter backlash in their Sydney seats if the net zero target isn't set in stone.
Mr Morrison on Tuesday said net zero by 2050 was the "government's absolute policy".
He said Mr Boyce's "wiggle room" statement was in reference to how net zero could be achieved, not the target itself.
Labor has seized on the signs of division, with assistant climate spokesman and Shortland MP Pat Conroy saying there hadn't been a bigger split inside the Coalition on climate since Malcolm Turnbull was rolled as prime minister in 2018.
But Labor - in particular Mr Conroy - is under pressure itself on climate policy.
The opposition has this week been forced to clarify that coal miners would not be carved out from the mechanism used to force big emitters to reduce their carbon footprint, after Mr Conroy suggested they wouldn't be affected.
Labor has now confirmed that the same 215 sites which are currently subject to the safeguard mechanism would be covered under its plan.
Under Labor's plan, the Clean Energy Regulator would consult with each site to set lower emissions thresholds, in line with their own ambition to achieve net zero by 2050.
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The businesses - which include mines and plants - can purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions.
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Energy Minister Angus Taylor has previously likened any expansion of the safeguard mechanism, which was established under Tony Abbott, as a backdoor carbon tax.
Mr Morrison ran a similar line of attack on Tuesday as he attempted to distract from the confusion on his side.
He claimed Labor's plan would tax and penalise businesses across a range of emissions-intensive sectors.
