The Queensland LNP gathered for its 2023 State Convention on the weekend of July 8 and 9. The convention could be thought of as a think tank gathering to determine party policy for the coming year.

LNP President Lawrence Springborg sat centre stage, flanked by the LNP executive team, including Peter Dutton, David Littleproud, and David Crisafulli. On the floor, microphones were dotted between the seated crowd, used by delegates debating policy resolutions. Two microphones were designated for those arguing in favour of resolutions, and two more were reserved for those arguing against them. Resolutions were argued until a time limit; a vote was called; delegates raised their cards for yes or no; then resolutions were carried or lost based on the tally.

The first resolution on energy policy was not called until the second day of the convention, with the Young LNP calling for even greater emissions reduction. At least twenty people queued to speak against the resolution, while only three people lined up in support, including the mover and seconder.

In arguing for greater emissions reduction policies, the mover said the LNP needs to avoid vacating the field in order to have a seat at the table, so as not to be excluded from decision-making on energy policy. Arguments like this have been made at Convention for years. This year was no exception and the resolution passed with a lopsided majority.

Given the chance to speak against the resolution, I would have said the following:

Members, looking at the line of people speaking against this resolution and reading the room, I acknowledge that in some cases I am preaching to the converted. I speak however to the people who support the concept of the LNP rolling out even more emissions reduction policies.

At a national level, the LNP has shifted on energy policy by recently opening the door to nuclear power. Over the last few days, Mr Dutton, Mr Littleproud, and Mr O’Brien have said sensible things on energy.

I therefore challenge every person here to consider the reality and the scale of the emissions reduction necessary for a Net Zero transition. For this is what ‘emissions reduction’ really means, and a seemingly simple statement on emissions reduction is just the tip of the iceberg.

This resolution by the Young LNP assumes ‘the transition’ is a foregone conclusion — an assumption indistinguishable from Labor and Greens policy that demands an unending build of extraordinary amounts of wind and solar. It assumes a transition to intermittent weather-dependent electricity with massive land requirements. It assumes the expenditure of billions of dollars on monstrous transmission lines and on hydropower with no social license. It assumes handing out subsidies to ensure uneconomic projects are built far from marginal inner-city electorates whose fragile residents would never consent to live beside a wind turbine.

This path guarantees higher living costs, less foreign investment, and more government intervention in supposedly free markets. A plethora of state and federal policies got us into this mess in the first place. Adding more emissions reduction policies that strangle our economy is not an election-winning platform for a conservative centre-right political party.

Let’s not forget Kirkup (WA), Marshall (SA), Guy (VIC), and Perrottet (NSW). They all went to their elections attempting to appease the green blob. They all lost. In contrast, we all remember Scott Morrison sitting in parliament with a lump of coal and going on to win in 2019. Skip forward to 2022, and under the shadow of Net Zero capitulation, Scott Morrison also lost.

Voters in regional and suburban working-class areas care more about the cost of living today and their jobs tomorrow than fear-mongering about polar bears in 100 years’ time, renewable energy targets, safeguard mechanisms, and Net Zero. The LNP must learn, adapt, and acknowledge this reality which requires a shift away from Net Zero policies, focusing on energy security and cost.

The ‘energy trilemma’ (price, reliability, emissions) is a Turnbull concoction designed to appease the Greens and electorates that have abandoned LNP values. The LNP has an opportunity to finally exorcise this miserable ghost, starting right here in Queensland. I urge delegates at this Convention to vote against this resolution and any other resolutions that encourage the implementation of nation-destroying emissions reduction policies.

Ben Beattie is an electrical engineer in the power and energy sector. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the motion on reducing emissions was voted down.