Labor's Environmental Action Network pushes for 70 per cent emissions cut by 2035 as left faction grows

Sky News AU

07-05-2025

Labor's environmental activist wing has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to adopt a 70 per cent emissions reduction target by 2035, following his decisive election outcome.
The election delivered a boost to the Labor Left, which now outnumbers the Right in caucus and holds greater sway over internal decision-making.
Meanwhile, Labor Environment Action Network (LEAN)—a network of ALP members and supporters— wants the government to set a stronger 2035 climate target.
LEAN backed several Labor MPs and candidates during the 2025 campaign, including Josh Burns and Jerome Laxale.
In return for its support, the lobby group has called on the Albanese government to pursue 70 per cent emissions reductions by 2035.
The Labor Party's path to net zero so far has only set a target of 43 per cent by 2030.
The push sparked backlash from Nationals Senator Matt Canavan, who told Sky News the government should hold a referendum on the net zero target by 2050.
'The Labor Party are talking about wanting a 70 per cent emissions reduction by just 2035,' Mr Canavan said.
'What is the point of this? How is that going to help people? If they go down that path, the Australian people deserve to have a referendum on net zero.
'A proper choice. No one ever has had a vote on net zero.'
The Albanese government has not adopted any 2035 target and said it was waiting for the Climate Change Authority to deliver its formal advice on the matter.
'Well, we haven't made any decisions about that yet,' Labor Senator Murray Watt told Sky News.
'What we did well before the election was ask for advice from the independent Climate Change Authority on what the 2035 targets should be.
'They made a decision to delay finalising that because of the change in the world context.'
The United States abandoned the net zero Paris Agreement in 2025 following the election of President Donald Trump.
Asked whether Labor's strong election win gave it more room to pursue ambitious climate policy, Mr Watt tempered expectations.
'You would have heard the Prime Minister and others make very clear that we're absolutely determined to respect the mandate that we've been given,' he said.
'We're not going to get ahead of ourselves by leaping into decisions, whether it be on this topic or anything else.'
Mr Albanese told reporters on Monday he would 'not get carried away' with his larger majority in the House of Representatives.
The 48th Parliament of Australia has since been touted as the most progressive parliament in history according to the Australian Greens.
Early election projections show the minor party set to hold the balance of power in the Senate and emerge as the only effective check on the resurgent Labor government.
Labor legislated a 43 per cent cut to emissions by 2030 in its first term and set its target of 82 per cent renewables in the grid by the same year.
Energy experts have since warned that target is under threat due to slow infrastructure rollout and resistance to transmission lines and wind projects.
The next formal update to Australia's climate targets under the Paris Agreement is due in 2025.