Coalition takes a chainsaw to cheaper power and climate action

Scrap Net Zero Act would rip up investment certainty and hand households higher bills

Solutions for Climate Australia today warned that the Coalition's proposed Scrap Net Zero (Cheaper Energy) Act would drive up power bills and stall the clean energy investment Australian households and businesses are relying on. By scrapping pollution regulation and refusing to set climate pollution targets, they are abandoning the action on climate Australians overwhelmingly demand.

Solutions for Climate Australia acting Director Sophia Walter said:

“At the last two elections, the federal Liberal Party has been roundly punished for not having credible climate policies, losing a host of blue ribbon and outer suburban seats. This is a step in the wrong direction from a party that needs to win back its base.

"Dan Tehan has promised to 'take a chainsaw' to energy policy. The problem is that households are standing right next to it.

"Investors need certainty to build the wind, solar, storage and transmission that bring power prices down. This bill tells them every rule could be torn up in the first 30 days of a new government. That is how you scare off capital and push bills up.

"Mr Tehan won't say what climate pollution target the Coalition would set. He won't rule out taxpayer money for nuclear reactors. So how much public money would go to reactors? Where would they be built, when the states don't want them? How many years would households wait for power from a technology with no commercial small modular reactor running anywhere in the Western world? And what would keep the lights on in the meantime?

"This is delay dressed up as policy. The real solution is abundant energy from sun, wind, hydro and batteries, that pushes down power prices.

"The Coalition has a choice. It can keep fighting the last decade's climate wars, or it can back the cheap, clean power Australians are already putting on their roofs and in their garages."

—ENDS—

Media contact: Elly Baxter, elly@cana.net.au 0407 163 921

For interview: Acting Director of Solutions for Climate Australia Sophia Walter: 0476 260 028

Solutions for Climate Australia is the federal advocacy team of the Climate Action Network Australia. 

Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) is the national network of over 170 community, environment and civil society organisations working together to deliver fair and effective solutions to the climate crisis.