‘We Are Incredibly Serious’: Coalition Moves to Scrap Net Zero

BRISBANE, Australia—Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Dan Tehan has promised the Coalition will repeal legislation committing Australia to net zero emissions by 2050.

“What [the Coalition] is going to do this week is begin the process of introducing our scrap net zero bill,” Tehan told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Australia in Brisbane on Oct. 11.

“We are incredibly serious about this.”

Tehan said he would fly to Canberra after his speech to begin drafting the Coalition’s bill.

“When it comes to the states and territories, we will say to them: ‘if you want funding for your energy, then you will have to focus on two things: reliability and affordability,’” he said.

The shadow minister added that these requirements would also be imposed onto the Australian Energy Regulator.

“You are focused on two things: reliability and affordability, because that is what we need as a nation,” he said.

Conservative Leaders Vow to Scrap Net Zero

This year’s CPAC event featured Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson, and Nationals Leader Matt Canavan.

A common message shared by the leaders is a commitment to scrap net zero.

Hanson told attendees her party would open a Royal Commission into Net Zero if it won the next federal election.

“We will drag every corrupt contract into the open,” she said.

“Every dirty arrangement with a foreign company will be exposed.

“Every secret meeting behind closed doors will be revealed, and every dollar taken away from taxpayers that left power bills higher will be accounted for.”

Meanwhile, Taylor admitted his party made a mistake in signing up for net zero.

“We got some big things right, but we got some important things wrong too,” he said.

“We will bring back cheap and abundant energy to bring down the cost of everything.”

Australia’s net zero target was legislated under the Albanese Labor government’s Climate Change Act 2022, which committed the country to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to 43 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.

The government has also introduced reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism, requiring Australia’s largest industrial emitters to progressively reduce their greenhouse gas emissions or offset emissions that exceed limits.

Facilities that fail to meet these requirements or do not use an approved flexibility measure could face civil penalties and infringement notices.

Tehan said he would remove the Safeguard Mechanisms, saying Australia should pursue energy abundance.

“We’ve got the coal. We’ve got the gas. We’ve got the uranium. Why wouldn’t you use them?” he said.