Coalition Climate Credibility Under Fire as Energy Transition Debate Intensifies
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Independent MP Zali Steggall launched a sharp attack on the Coalition’s climate and energy policies during a Thursday television interview, accusing opposition figures of spreading misinformation about renewable energy while offering no credible alternative to the government’s net-zero transition plan.
The Warringah MP’s criticism came amid escalating debate over Australia’s energy future, with the Coalition positioning itself against Labor’s renewable energy timeline while households face continuing electricity price pressures despite significant renewable capacity coming online.
“There is a hypocrisy in what the Coalition is saying,” Steggall said during her Sky News AM Agenda appearance. “We don’t have enough energy in the system. Renewables aren’t rolling out fast enough, so let’s turn to gas. But they are doing everything they can to slow down the transition and the rollout of renewables.”
The independent lawmaker specifically targeted former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce for what she characterized as deliberately misleading coastal communities about offshore wind projects.
“Barnaby Joyce is turning up to a coastal community and saying offshore wind is going to kill whales and he all of a sudden is the big defender of whales,” Steggall said. “Please, spare me the hypocrisy. The guy completely supports that we frack and we get gas wells in the ocean. He doesn’t care about the impact on whales from that point of view or from a warming climate.”
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The exchanges highlighted the intensifying political battle over energy policy as Australia grapples with the dual challenges of replacing aging coal-fired power stations while managing electricity costs that have strained household budgets.
Steggall acknowledged the Albanese government made tactical errors in the 2022 election campaign by making specific price promises, saying external factors including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and resulting gas price volatility made such commitments unrealistic.
“I think it was stupid of the government in the 2022 election to make a specific price in terms of their claim around energy prices, because there are so many elements you don’t control in the mix,” she said.
However, the independent MP emphasized that jurisdictions with higher renewable energy penetration demonstrate lower electricity prices, countering Coalition arguments linking net-zero commitments to cost increases.
“The connection that is being drawn by the Coalition and the many in the media that somehow a commitment to net zero has a negative impact on power prices is simply false,” Steggall said.
The debate over energy prices has become politically toxic for the government, with Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan repeatedly highlighting household electricity bills as evidence of policy failure.
When pressed on whether the government should commit to price reductions, Steggall questioned the premise of the demand, noting that costs rarely decrease across any sector as populations grow and energy demand increases.
“I think there’s also this fallacy of an argument that somehow as our populations get greater, our demand on the energy system gets greater and somehow costs are going to go back,” she said. “No one is going to be able to turn back the clock to 20 years ago or 30 years ago.”
Instead, Steggall argued that households can achieve the lowest operating costs through rooftop solar installations, battery storage, and electrification of appliances, moving away from gas for cooking and water heating.
“The way households can have the cheapest operating costs is by having rooftop solar and batteries and electrifying their household,” she said. “We know that as a fact. That needs to be prioritised and accelerated.”
The interview revealed continuing divisions over the appropriate energy mix for Australia’s transition away from fossil fuels. Steggall projected that renewable sources would eventually comprise approximately 90 percent of the nation’s electricity generation, with a limited ongoing role for gas.
“I think we absolutely will be getting to around the 90% of renewable energy in the mix,” she said. “I think realistically we will have a mix. We will have hydro. We will possibly new technologies. I think there will be an amount of gas, but it will not be an increasing amount of gas.”
She dismissed traditional concerns about baseload power and reliability as outdated, arguing that complementary renewable sources including solar, wind, hydro, and battery storage adequately address supply consistency requirements.
“This discussion around baseload power and reliability and firming is so old school, sorry, respectfully,” Steggall said. “The reality is we know our renewable energy sources complement each other really well between solar, wind, hydro, batteries, and then there will be a little bit of gas.”
The independent MP also highlighted gas as a potent greenhouse contributor, noting methane’s warming impact significantly exceeds carbon dioxide over shorter timeframes.
“Gas is 80% more potent over the short term than even CO2 in warming our atmosphere,” she said.
On gas policy specifically, Steggall expressed support for government moves toward domestic reservation on the East Coast, prioritizing Australian industrial and manufacturing needs over export markets. She emphasized gas should be reserved for industry rather than residential applications.
“We absolutely do need to prioritize the domestic market around our gas utilization especially for industry and manufacturing,” she said. “It is wasted when it comes to using it in residential settings. That is not the best use of a precious resource like gas.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has advocated strongly for accelerating development of the Narrabri gas project to supply the East Coast domestic market, a position that has created tensions within the Labor movement given environmental concerns about the proposal.
Steggall’s comments reflected broader frustration among climate-focused politicians and advocates about what they characterize as deliberate obstruction of renewable energy projects by Coalition figures in rural and regional communities.
“There is misinformation all over the place,” she said. “There is a huge amount of misinformation that is stirring up division within communities rather than looking at how do we bring communities together so that they get a collective benefit from the transition.”
Energy company executives have repeatedly called for policy stability to provide investment certainty for the large-scale renewable energy projects required to replace retiring coal capacity. Origin Energy, AGL, and Energy Australia have all stressed the importance of maintaining bipartisan support for emissions reduction targets.
The Coalition’s energy policy, which opposition leaders have indicated will emphasize gas as a transition fuel while questioning the pace of renewable deployment, has yet to be fully detailed ahead of the coming federal election.
Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien has signaled the Coalition will present what it describes as a more realistic and affordable energy plan, though specific details on emissions targets and technology investment priorities remain undisclosed.
The energy debate occurs against a backdrop of multiple coal-fired power stations scheduled for closure over the coming decade, creating urgency around replacement capacity. The Australian Energy Market Operator has warned of potential supply shortfalls if renewable energy and transmission infrastructure development falls behind retirement schedules.
Steggall’s intervention came as the independent crossbench, which holds significant influence in the closely divided Parliament, increasingly positions climate and energy policy as defining issues for their electoral support.
The so-called “teal independents,” including Steggall, won traditionally conservative seats in the 2022 election partly by campaigning on stronger climate action, demonstrating electoral appetite for ambitious emissions reduction policies in wealthy urban electorates.
However, regional communities hosting proposed renewable energy infrastructure have expressed concerns about visual impact, land use, and perceived threats to agricultural operations, creating political complications for both major parties.
The offshore wind controversy specifically has emerged as a flashpoint, with proposed projects off Victoria and New South Wales coastlines generating organized community opposition that Coalition figures have amplified.
Environmental groups and renewable energy advocates argue much of the opposition stems from deliberate misinformation campaigns rather than legitimate concerns about project impacts.
Steggall emphasized the need for community engagement that ensures local benefits from renewable energy transitions, rather than polarizing debates that pit environmental goals against regional interests.
“How do we bring communities together so that they get a collective benefit from the transition,” she said, characterizing this as the appropriate policy focus.
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