NEG Would Undermine Australia’s ‘Economic Sovereignty,’ Liberal MP Says

Andrew Hastie, Liberal MP, speaks at Australian Parliament in May 2018. Commonwealth of Australia

West Australian Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has confirmed that he cannot support the national energy guarantee (NEG) in its current form saying that the proposed changes, which include legislating Paris emissions reduction targets into Australian law, would undermine Australia’s “economic sovereignty.”

In an interview with Sky News on Aug. 16, Hastie stressed that his opposition to the policy was a matter of principle, rejecting suggestions that it was aimed at calling into question Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership, as had been reported in local media.

Economic Sovereignty

Hastie said the planned legislation under the NEG for a 26 percent reduction in CO2 emissions to meet targets agreed to under the Paris Climate agreement would “undermine our economic sovereignty.”