Ley Prioritizes Affordable Energy Over Net Zero, Pledges Manufacturing Revival
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Opposition Leader Sussan Ley unveiled the coalition’s energy policy framework at a Western Sydney manufacturing facility Monday, pledging to prioritize affordable electricity over net zero emissions targets while promising emissions reductions aligned with comparable nations rather than what she characterized as Labor’s economically damaging race ahead of global standards.
Ley, who leads the federal opposition, positioned the coalition’s climate approach as fundamentally an affordability question for households and businesses struggling with electricity costs that have risen 40% under the Albanese government.
“Australians deserve affordable energy and responsible emissions reduction,” Ley said during the Western Sydney appearance alongside Shadow Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Dan Tehan. “And the Coalition knows that you can have both. But we will prioritise affordable energy.”
The policy announcement comes as internal Liberal Party polling reportedly shows metropolitan constituencies at risk if the coalition abandons net zero commitments, though Ley dismissed polling considerations and emphasized household cost pressures affecting voters regardless of location.
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Ley directly attacked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s broken 2022 campaign promise to reduce electricity bills by $275, noting that costs have instead increased substantially since Labor took office following two elections where energy affordability featured prominently.
“He went to two elections promising you that your electricity and energy costs would come down,” Ley said. “Instead, they’ve gone up. They’ve gone up by 40%.”
The Opposition Leader linked rising energy costs to manufacturing decline, characterizing Western Sydney’s transformation from industrial powerhouse to struggling manufacturing hub as evidence that Labor’s energy policies undermine domestic production capacity.
“Every time we see this Prime Minister stand up and talk about Made in Australia, we know that it is a lie because manufacturing is in decline,” Ley said, positioning the coalition as champion of manufacturing revival through affordable energy.
Shadow Energy Minister Tehan, the Member for Wannon in Victoria, elaborated on the coalition’s emissions reduction approach, emphasizing that Australia has reduced emissions at nearly twice the rate of developed nations since 2005.
“When we consider that since 2005, Australia has moved ahead with emissions reducing at almost twice the rate of the developed world, and in order to get to Labor’s 2050 target, they will have to double again, then that doesn’t make sense,” Tehan said.
The coalition’s commitment involves reducing emissions year-on-year in alignment with comparable countries and as technology allows, rather than pursuing specific net zero targets that Tehan characterized as requiring economically harmful acceleration.
“Our commitment is to reduce emissions on average, year on year, in line with comparable countries and as fast and as far as technology will allow,” he said.
Tehan emphasized the coalition’s support for manufacturing and small businesses that understand energy affordability challenges, praising the Western Sydney facility’s use of commercial rooftop solar as example of responsible renewable deployment.
“Part of our plan is to put a focus on commercial industrial rooftop solar and one of the things Gareth has done here is use commercial industrial rooftop solar on this factory right above us,” Tehan said, referring to the facility owner.
However, Tehan stressed that renewable energy alone cannot meet industrial requirements, arguing that baseload power generation remains essential for manufacturing competitiveness and emerging technologies.
“We’ve also got to make sure that we have that baseload power that we need and make sure that the approach is technology neutral,” he said, criticizing what he called Labor’s ideological approach focused on 82% renewables by 2030.
The Shadow Energy Minister characterized Labor’s renewable energy targets as placing unnecessary pressure on the electricity grid and driving unaffordable power prices that prevent the government from honoring its $275 bill reduction commitment.
“It’s why they haven’t been able to honour their commitment that they made to you on over 90 occasions that your power bill would be $275 cheaper by the end of the year,” Tehan said.
Both coalition leaders emphasized the connection between energy affordability and broader cost-of-living pressures, with Ley noting that families heading into Christmas face difficult budget decisions across multiple expenses.
“Mums and dads and families are hurting in the lead up to Christmas,” Ley said. “And they’re worried about how they’re going to meet all those bills that come in at this time of year.”
She listed cooling costs for summer, Christmas presents, medical visits, and holidays as competing financial pressures that energy bills exacerbate, arguing that affordable electricity represents foundational requirement for household budget management.
“When energy is unaffordable, then everything is unaffordable,” Ley said, positioning energy policy as central economic question rather than purely environmental consideration.
The coalition’s technology-neutral approach includes voluntary mechanisms rather than punitive carbon regulations, with plans to repurpose the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Australian Renewable Energy Agency toward breakthrough technologies including carbon capture and storage and blue hydrogen.
“We will have a voluntary mechanism, the accountability and baseline credit scheme that won’t punish people if they emit carbon but will encourage them to reduce their carbon footprint,” Tehan said.
He characterized this approach as superior to Labor’s emissions record, claiming the government has spent $75 billion to date with poor results compared to coalition performance during previous governments.
“Let’s look at the emissions record of the Albanese government,” Tehan said. “In fact, their entire energy trifecta of failures. Prices up, reliability down, and emissions flatlining.”
Ley emphasized her focus on explaining coalition policy to voters experiencing affordability pain rather than responding to state Liberal Party disagreements about climate positions.
When pressed on New South Wales Liberal opposition concerns about abandoning net zero, Ley declined substantive comment while insisting her priority remains federal policy communication.
“I’m not interested in polling and I’m not interested in public commentary about polling,” she said. “What I’m interested in is this plan.”
The Opposition Leader suggested voters across different constituencies share common energy affordability concerns that transcend geographic or demographic divisions highlighted in polling analysis.
“The communities of which you speak broadly will also be feeling the pain that I’ve talked about,” Ley said. “And they’ll also be struggling with the cost of energy.”
On international climate negotiations, Ley questioned whether hosting a future Conference of the Parties meeting in Australia represents wise taxpayer expenditure given budget pressures and household affordability challenges.
“Is it wise use of taxpayers’ money to bring any COP to Australia?” she said. “And I hope the Prime Minister is considering how hosting what I acknowledge from time to time are important international discussions, how that benefits households and families that are struggling.”
The coalition leaders also addressed bulk billing difficulties, with Ley noting that families report struggling to find doctors who accept Medicare rates and having to choose which children receive medical attention in particular weeks.
“What really worries me as a mum and as a grandmother, when I look at parents and talk to parents who say they’re actually having to choose which child visits the doctor in a particular week, which child is the most sick, that’s outrageous,” she said.
She linked medical practice viability to energy costs, arguing that GP surgeries struggle with electricity expenses that affect their ability to offer bulk billing services.
“Our wonderful GPs and their practices are struggling with the cost of energy and the cost of living,” Ley said. “And because energy costs underpin everything that comes into that doctor’s surgery, that helps keep people well and treats patients who are sick, it’s all affected by the cost of energy.”
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