Opposition Leader Vows to Revise Climate Targets, Prioritize ‘Affordable Energy’ Over Emission Goals
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Opposition Leader Susan Ley launched a sweeping challenge to Australia’s climate policy Thursday, pledging to remain in the Paris Agreement while signalling the Coalition would revise the nation’s emission reduction commitments to prioritise affordable energy over international targets.
Speaking at a powder coating facility in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire on the first day of her national energy policy tour, Ley accused the Labor government of driving power prices higher while achieving no meaningful emission reductions, setting up a stark political clash over Australia’s climate future ahead of the next federal election.
“We will always put the national interest first,” Ley said. “If we need to revise those NDCs, we will, in line with our national interest. And our national interest is about affordable energy as a priority and playing our part responsibly in reducing emissions.”
The statement marks the Coalition’s most explicit acknowledgment that it would water down Australia’s nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, even as Ley insisted the party remains committed to the 2015 global climate accord.
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Gas Import Paradox Fuels Policy Fight
Ley centered her criticism on what she characterized as contradictions in Labor’s energy approach, pointing to Australia’s position as “probably the second or third largest exporter of LNG” while simultaneously building an import terminal nearby.
“We’re building an import terminal so that that gas can be imported back at higher prices,” Ley said, touring the manufacturing facility. “And that’s not making sense to any Australian I’ve talked to, which is why our policy is very much about stepping on the gas.”
The opposition leader argued gas serves as a critical transition fuel for emissions reduction while providing affordable energy for industry and power generation. She blamed Labor’s environmental approval processes for restricting gas supply to domestic markets.
“Under Labor, what it seems to me is they’re trying really hard not to get that supply into the market,” Ley said. “You only have to look at the time it takes under their environmental approvals regime to get any project approved that involves gas and natural gas.”
Emission Claims Challenge Labor’s Record
Ley disputed Labor’s climate credentials with a direct attack on the government’s emission reduction track record, claiming progress has stalled under the current administration.
“Emissions went down when we were in government,” Ley said. “They haven’t under Labor. They’ve either gone up or flatlined.”
She argued Australia has shouldered a disproportionate burden compared to developing nations, stating that “in the 20 years to date, since 2005, Australia has almost doubled its efforts in emissions reduction compared to developing countries.”
The Coalition’s policy framework commits to “reducing emissions year on year, on average, in line with comparable countries, as fast and as far as technology allows,” according to Ley, while avoiding specific numerical targets.
Cost Estimates Frame Political Debate
Ley deployed stark financial figures to challenge Labor’s climate approach, claiming the transition to date has cost taxpayers $75 billion.
“To even get to the 2035 target, it will cost, by estimates, over $500 billion,” Ley said. “Meanwhile, Australians are hurting, power prices are going up, and emissions are flatlining.”
The opposition leader characterized the Coalition’s approach as technology-neutral, focused on deploying “every technology that can be brought to bear to bring prices down, to deliver a stable, reliable grid.”
“Not preferring one technology over another, we just have as our focus a priority for affordable energy,” Ley said.
She accused Labor of working backward from long-term targets the government cannot reach, arguing this approach drives electricity prices higher.
“Right now the national energy objectives are working backwards from a long-term target that this government cannot reach,” Ley said. “And that is what is pushing up electricity prices.”
Environmental Activists Face Funding Accusations
In a pointed attack, Ley accused the Labor government of funding environmental activists who oppose gas projects, claiming this restricts supply and drives up energy costs.
“This Labor government is funding those very environmental activists to do the work that restricts supply,” Ley said, drawing on her experience as former Environment Minister.
She described witnessing “environmental activism against gas projects” during her tenure and said such opposition continues under the current government.
The Coalition’s alternative approach would prioritize opening new gas basins and streamlining pipeline connections by reducing regulatory barriers for private sector investment.
“We have to support the connection of pipelines by making it easier for the private sector to step in and do the work that they’re ready to do, but environmental approvals are holding them back,” Ley said.
Paris Agreement Position Draws Scrutiny
When pressed on whether the Coalition would withdraw from the Paris Agreement, Ley defended the party’s commitment to the international framework while acknowledging other nations have revised their commitments.
“We’re committed to the Paris Agreement and that is because it is a global forum where countries come together and agree that we need to work on bringing global temperatures down,” Ley said.
She noted the agreement requires nationally determined contributions but emphasized many countries have “walked back from their nationally determined contributions, watered down, or said effectively that they don’t have an idea about where they will be.”
Ley characterized the Coalition’s position as responsive to changing global circumstances and domestic priorities rather than adhering to fixed targets regardless of economic impact.
“We believe in playing our role and doing so responsibly,” Ley said. “But it’s cost $75 billion to get to this point.”
Policy Details Focus on Supply Expansion
The Coalition’s energy strategy centers on expanding gas supply through multiple mechanisms, including opening new basins, accelerating environmental approvals for gas projects, and supporting pipeline infrastructure development.
“The fact is that Australia has abundant supplies of gas,” Ley said. “I think it’s not an unreasonable challenge for any government to say, how do we get that gas into the market, serving industries, serving businesses, and bringing power prices down?”
Ley emphasized gas’s importance across multiple sectors, including power generation, industrial applications, and manufacturing. She described feeling “the gas price and the energy price going up” while touring the powder coating operation.
“It’s critical for industries that we have a reasonable price for gas,” Ley said. “And it’s critical for power generation. And it’s a transition fuel that allows us to reduce our emissions.”
Why It Matters Now
The energy policy announcement comes as Australians face persistent cost-of-living pressures, with power prices remaining a top voter concern. The Coalition’s framing positions climate policy as a direct driver of household expenses rather than an environmental imperative separate from economic considerations.
Ley’s commitment to revising Australia’s Paris Agreement targets while remaining within the global framework represents a political calculation that voters will prioritize immediate affordability over international climate commitments. The approach attempts to navigate between climate skeptics within the Coalition base and younger voters concerned about environmental action.
The emphasis on gas as a transition fuel aligns with industry advocacy but faces opposition from environmental groups arguing fossil fuel expansion contradicts emission reduction goals. The policy debate will likely intensify as both major parties position their energy strategies ahead of the federal election.
Ley’s tour through Sydney’s Sutherland Shire marks the beginning of a national campaign to sell the Coalition’s alternative energy vision, with the opposition leader promising honest conversations with Australians about climate policy costs and effectiveness.
“I will not look Australians in the face and tell them the lies that they are hearing from this government,” Ley said. “I will be honest with them. That is why we need to accept that this policy is failing. It’s just not working.”
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