SENATOR THE HON ANNE RUSTON
SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR DISABILITY AND THE NDIS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR SPORT
DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW ON ABC RADIO ADELAIDE BREAKFAST
12 November 2025

Topics: Net zero, Liberal party room process, Labor’s failed energy policy

JULES SCHILLER: One of the most prominent members of the Liberal Party and also especially the South Australian Liberal Party joins us now. She is a Liberal Senator Anne Ruston. Good morning to you Anne, thanks for joining us. What is your personal position on net zero and the Paris Agreement?

ANNE RUSTON: Well, one of the things that I’m really looking forward to today is actually having the opportunity to listen to all of my colleagues and so that we can understand the broad range of views that I am sure are going to come out of the party room. And so, I’m going to reserve my public commentary until after I’ve had the opportunity to discuss it with my colleagues.

JULES SCHILLER: But as a moderate, you know, surely you are pro net zero.

ANNE RUSTON: Look, the thing that I’ve been on the record as saying right from the get-go is that I think there are two fundamental underlying principles that we need to achieve today. One is that we need to have a policy that we do our part in reducing emissions, because I think we have a responsibility to do that. But at the same time, we need affordable and reliable power and a stable grid, because right now the policies that are before us, the Labor Party policies that are before us, are failing Australians - power prices are going through the roof and they are not reducing emissions. So, I think that’s what we need to be talking about today.

RORY MCCLAREN: Anne Ruston, do you support net zero?

ANNE RUSTON: As I said, and I’ve been on the record a thousand times saying that I believe Australia must play its part in reducing emissions because I think that we need to have a future that reflects the clean energy policies that I think most Australians want.

SONYA FELDHOFF: So going into this meeting, you’re still to be persuaded one way or the other on net zero?

ANNE RUSTON: No, what I’m saying is that I’m going to do the respect to my party room to turn up in the party room and listen to everybody’s points of view before I make public commentary about this, because that is the respectful thing to do.

JULES SCHILLER: But you would be aware that Leah Blyth has been on this show, and she, if you use the term respect, she has not been as respectful, to use your term, because she’s certainly clarified her view on net zero. I mean, we know your colleague Andrew Bragg has threatened to leave the front bench should net zero be abandoned. So why do you think they are comfortable outlining their views and you’re not?

ANNE RUSTON: Look, I’m not going to pass any comment on what others of my colleagues do, they’re perfectly entitled to have their views and to express them however they want. I’m just telling you that I have always in the past, and I will always into the future, reserved my commentary until after the party room. That’s the way I’ve always played the game.

SONYA FELDHOFF: Isn’t that one of the criticisms though that the moderates of the Party have been a little bit reluctant or have been reticent, deficient in standing up on perhaps supporting net zero, that other voices are getting a stronger airing?

ANNE RUSTON: Look, I wouldn’t agree with that at all. I think there have been some very strong voices out there advocating for all sorts of policy nuances in this area. But the one thing that I can absolutely guarantee you that every single member of the party room understands the abject failure of current policy. I mean, we’ve seen energy bills going through the roof. I mean, your listeners were promised a $275 reduction in their power bills and they’ve ended up with at least a $1,300 increase in power bills. We’re seeing businesses closed down, jobs are being lost. I mean, every single person in my party room is concerned about the impact of the failure of the current Labor Party’s energy and emissions reduction policy.

RORY MCCLAREN: Anne Ruston, are you concerned about the damage that this very public brawl is having on your side of politics?

ANNE RUSTON: One of the great things about our party is we actually respect the fact that people can have different points of view, and I think great policy is often designed and developed by listening to a range of views. You don’t necessarily have to agree with them all, but I think if you put all the views into the pot you end up coming out with better policy. And that’s part of, I suppose, the process of doing that.

SONYA FELDHOFF: That sounds nice, but is it practical in actual logistical terms, in being able to go forward and make decisions and operate as a coalition, for instance?

ANNE RUSTON: Well, it’s the way we’ve operated since we’ve been a coalition. It’s the way we’ve operate as a Liberal Party through time. So, I don’t see why it’s any different today, and I don’t have to agree with everybody to respect the fact that other people may have a different point of view than me.

JULES SCHILLER: Speaking of points of view, because people are interested on the text line as to what you personally believe, do you personally believe that we should stay in Paris even though we might change the targets? Is that something that you personally believe?

ANNE RUSTON: I think Paris is a really important construct to allow the world to make sure that we are reducing emissions so that we have, you know, we are doing the right thing about the climate of our planet. So I’m absolutely supportive of remaining in Paris.

SONYA FELDHOFF: It sounds like you’re preparing the way for a compromised position here, Anne Ruston.

ANNE RUSTON: Well, as I said, I’m really keen to listen to everybody’s point of view and as you quite rightly point out, there is a wide range of views in our party room. And, as I say, whilst sometimes it can present a few tensions, I think it is what is the great beauty of our party room is the fact that we actually allow people to have different points of view. So, I’m not going to pre-empt what’s going to happen today. I’m not going to get ahead of myself, but I am very keen to listen to what they’ve got to say and I’m absolutely confident that we’ll come out of the party room today with a position that’s in the best interest of Australia and Australians, not just today but going forward.

JULES SCHILLER: You talk about respect. Do you think it was respectful for the National Party to announce their net zero policy before the Liberal Party did?

ANNE RUSTON: Well, straight after the election, the decision was made that the National Party would go away and work up their policy, the Liberal Party would go away and work up their policies and that’s the culmination in the next couple of days for us, and then we would get together. And equally as I’m confident that the Liberal Party party room will come up with a sensible position for Australia, I’m absolutely confident that we will be able to come up with a sensitive position with the National Party as well.

SONYA FELDHOFF: You’re listening to 891 ABC Radio Adelaide. We’re talking with South Australian Liberal Senator Anne Ruston, who will be part of that Liberal meeting today in Canberra to land a policy on net zero for her party. You said you’re going to be listening a lot. Are you going to put forward an argument for one side or the other, Anne Ruston, and just holding that back from us at the moment?

ANNE RUSTON: Look, as I say, I’ll listen but obviously I’ll make a contribution in the party room, as I hope every single member of our party room will put a contribution forward. And then after we’ve heard everybody’s contribution, then obviously the party will deliberate all of those.

SONYA FELDHOFF: Why won’t you say what you believe on this, Anne Ruston? I think this is bemusing to a lot of people about why you won’t say what side of the fence you’re on on this.

ANNE RUSTON: Well, I don’t believe there is a side of the fence to be on. The side of fence I’m on is on the Australian public side, and I want them to have affordable power bills, but I also want to see emissions reduced. I mean, that’s the side of a fence I sit on.

JULES SCHILLER: Will you listen to, we had the Australian Business Council on yesterday and, you know, they’re saying they support net zero, they just want a consistent policy in Australia around energy so like a lot of businesses they can just get on with things, they can invest knowing what the parameters are. Do you think they’re an important voice in this and if the Liberal Party ignore them they’re moving away from their traditional kind of base of supporting business?

ANNE RUSTON: Well, I couldn’t agree more that we need a consistent policy on energy but we need a consistent policy that’s not seeing energy bills go through the roof. And so, I don’t think there would be any business organisation or business out there that wouldn’t want stability in our energy grid and affordable prices. I mean, the fact that we are seeing so many businesses either closing or at risk of closing because their energy bills are making them unviable I think underpins the challenge and the problem we have right now. We have to have affordable and reliable energy, we need an abundance of energy. Going forward, Australia’s wealth and our standards of living will be underpinned by an abundance of energy. We need to focus on that.

RORY MCCLAREN: Anne Ruston, do you think there has been a campaign to undermine Sussan Ley’s leadership in relation to this policy area?

ANNE RUSTON: No, no, I don’t think so. I think that the overwhelming majority of our party room absolutely supports Sussan and her leadership. Make no mistake, the last few months have been tough. I mean, we had a catastrophic result at the election, but we’re in the rebuild phase at the moment, and that’s always going to be challenging. But Sussan has the total support of her Shadow Cabinet. She certainly has the overwhelming support of the party room, and I can assure you I’m one of those people that supports the leader.

JULES SCHILLER: So you don’t agree with your Liberal Senate colleague Sarah Henderson when she says this is the worst that she’s ever seen?

ANNE RUSTON: Well, obviously colleagues are entitled to have their own personal opinions. I wouldn’t agree with that.

JULES SCHILLER: But you’re not giving your own personal opinions, it seems like a lot of your colleagues are. From Sarah Henderson to Leah Blyth, we’re hearing from Andrew Bragg. We certainly know, we hear a lot of personal opinions. Tony Passin has given his personal opinion. So why do you think that so many of your colleagues are breaking ranks, yet you don’t seem to be?

ANNE RUSTON: Well, as I said, I’ve always had a policy in the past and I’ll carry it into the future that matters that are going to be deliberated in the party room, I won’t comment until after the party room has had its opportunity. But I think I’ve been pretty clear about the fact that I absolutely support Australia taking responsibility for emissions reduction. But, you know, right now the biggest issue facing your listeners, I would suggest, is the fact that their power bills are escalating. Some of them are probably - their jobs are being threatened. You know, talking about Whyalla and Port Pirie, the challenges at Nyrstar and at the steelworks in Whyalla are all underpinned by the cost of energy. I think we actually have to address these two issues at the same time, and I’m really, really confident that we’ll be able to come up with a solution to that.

SONYA FELDHOFF: Well, whatever way the policy lands, will we hear about that today? Is that when we’re expecting to hear it?

ANNE RUSTON: Today is a process where everybody gets the opportunity to speak to the party room and tell their colleagues their position. Then we will leave the party room and tomorrow as a Shadow Ministry deliberate the conversation today, and then I imagine sometime on Sunday we’ll be in a position to be able to put forward our policy determination as a result of this process.

SONYA FELDHOFF: Anne Ruston, thank you for your time.

ANNE RUSTON: My pleasure, thanks for having me.

ENDS