Barnaby Joyce avoids anti-net zero rhetoric questions

Last week, the Coalition climate wars were reignited when Nationals candidate Colin Flynn said the net-zero policy was "Morrison's document" and the plan "flexible", while Senator Matt Canavan said the "net zero thing is all sort of dead".

The Deputy Prime Minister was asked if he was conscious that sort of rhetoric that affect Liberal MPs competing against strong independent candidates running on a climate platform.

Mr Joyce avoid answering the question directly and instead said Australia was meeting its climate obligations.

"The thing about it is we honour our agreements," Mr Joyce said.

"Every agreement we've made, every target we've set, we've met.

"Other countries, they go in, they turn up in their jets with their fists pumping, and then they grab the agreement, walk out the door, screw it up and throw it in the bin.

"Australia doesn't. We're an honourable country."

Senator Canavan, who was campaigning alongside his party leader in North Queensland, was then asked if he would do the "honourable thing as Barnaby says" and back the net-zero 2050 agreement his party had agreed to.

"Everybody knows that I stand for, what I believe in and my views have been well known," Senator Canavan said.

"What I said last week is no different to what I've been saying for months.

"I'm just really uninterested in this sort of juvenile political commentary that constantly minimises serious debates in this country, down to a political horse race.

"It's just a bit of a shame, in my view that apparently the most dangerous thing in Canberra is a debate."

Several independents have used the Nationals lack lustre support of the net-zero policy to wedge their Liberal opponents, with some running the line "vote moderate Liberals and you get Barnaby Joyce".