How Albanese walked a tightrope of Labor division amid fears 43% emissions target would cost it the election

Albanese made it known he did not want to replicate the 45% figure Labor took to the 2019 election. But he also made it clear to colleagues he favoured ambitious action.

Given the turbulent preamble, Bowen went into the shadow cabinet discussion on 3 December heavily prepared with a presentation about the number of jobs that would be created in the transition. He was accompanied by a junior shadow minister, Pat Conroy, who emphasised a couple of elements of the Reputex modelling: coal-fired power stations would not close early, and emissions-intensive industries would not face more onerous regulation here than overseas.

The collective nervousness in the shadow cabinet reflected bitter electoral experience. Labor had lost every federal election since 2013 in part because of the climate wars unleashed by Tony Abbott.

The internal climate deliberation after the 2019 defeat had also risked becoming enmeshed in incipient leadership jockeying, with veteran New South Wales rightwinger Joel Fitzgibbon running a public campaign for Labor to adopt the same 2030 target as the Coalition.

Albanese says timing was also critical.

Climate change was a major issue during the 2022 election. The Liberal party lost the teal contests in May as part of one of the most significant electoral realignments in recent political history.