Coalition vows to 'take a chainsaw' to climate laws, offshore wind

Coalition vows to 'take a chainsaw' to climate laws and offshore wind In short: The Coalition would cancel offshore wind zones, scrap climate laws for heavy industry and car makers, and attempt to lift the ban on nuclear if it wins power. Its energy plan formalises a commitment to slow down renewables and jettison several core emissions reductions policies. What's next? The Coalition has urged states to reconsider the ban on nuclear, which it says could be used to power massive expansion of AI data centres across the country. The Coalition has vowed to abolish most of Australia's "offshore wind zones" if it wins government, massively limiting where wind farms can be built, as part of a commitment for a major slowdown of the nation's energy transition. Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan said revoking the offshore wind zones along the Hunter, Illawarra, Southern Ocean and Bunbury coasts would be part of an eight-point plan to unpick Australia's key climate policies. "We will take a chainsaw to Labor's ideologically driven, energy-restrictive approach to energy," Mr Tehan will say in an address to The Australian's energy summit. As well as winding back the offshore wind rollout, the Coalition would also repeal laws committing Australia to reach net zero emissions by 2050, remove laws requiring the nation's biggest polluters to cut their emissions or face penalties and remove laws requiring car makers to provide more efficient vehicles to Australia, including electric vehicles. The Coalition would also attempt to lift the prohibition on nuclear power — though that would require laws to be passed by the Senate, where there is no chance for the Coalition to win support without either Labor or the Greens changing positions on nuclear energy. The power plan formalises the Coalition's abandonment of most of the major policies attempting to drive down carbon emissions and speed up the transition of Australia's electricity networks from coal towards renewable power. "Within 30 days of getting into government we will introduce the scrap net zero bill … which will get rid of Labor's egregious taxes across energy in our country, taxes on vehicles, it will get rid of the vehicle emissions standards … it will get rid of the safeguard mechanism, which is sending industry offshore," Mr Taylor said. While the Coalition is vowing to unpick most of the measures being used to cut emissions, the party says it remains committed to addressing climate change, but says the cost of energy to home owners and industry should be put first. The CSIRO says solar and wind power remain cheaper power sources than coal, even after accounting for transmission costs. However, the pace of transition has been slower than intended, and has required major investment support through the government's Capacity Investment Scheme. The Coalition says that scheme should not be picking winners, and should also be allowed to underwrite coal, gas and nuclear power. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the Coalition's plan would "take a chainsaw" to the economy and household budgets. "It will make Australia poorer, weaker and less secure from global shocks," Mr Bowen said. "Their plan to stop renewables and household batteries, and sweat coal, would mean Aussie households are left to pick up the bill of global shocks." Coalition would unpick nascent offshore wind industry While the Coalition says Australia should have "energy abundance", it has vowed to cancel most of the declared offshore wind zones which have been opened for potential investment. Repealing four of Australia's six offshore wind zones would leave Gippsland in Victoria and the Bass Strait in Tasmania as the only approved coasts for wind farms. Mr Tehan was supportive of offshore wind when he joined Energy Minister Chris Bowen at the announcement of the Southern Ocean offshore wind zone in 2023, which is within his federal electorate of Wannon. "The scale of these offshore wind farms is something to behold, and it's going to need all the community coming together to make sure that we benefit from it … we want to make sure that it continues and continues to provide jobs, and offshore wind can provide that," Mr Tehan said at the time. Since then, the party has abandoned many of the climate commitments it signed up to under former prime minister Scott Morrison, as high industrial gas costs put pressure on Australian industry, and high power bills stress households — both of which the Coalition blames on limits put on coal and gas. While offshore wind is an established industry overseas, particularly in Europe and China, the industry is still developing in Australia. The Albanese government identified six regions as priority areas for offshore wind to help kick-start the industry, opening space for developers to conduct feasibility and environmental studies and begin community consultation. There are no active wind farms or projects under construction, though about a dozen projects have been granted licences to begin planning. Offshore wind can harness stronger and more consistent winds than onshore farms, while avoiding taking up valuable agricultural land. But they are also much more expensive than onshore wind, disrupt marine life during construction as well as fishing activities, and have faced resistance in some communities neighbouring the offshore zones. The Coalition's eight energy priorities Read moreRepeal the Climate Change Act 2022, which commits Australia to net zero emissions by 2050. Remove the safeguard mechanism, which requires heavy industry to cut emissions or face penalties. Repeal the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which requires car makers to import more fuel-efficient and electric vehicles or face penalties. Revoke four offshore wind energy zones across the Hunter, Illawarra, Southern Ocean and Bunbury regions. Repeal all legislative prohibitions on nuclear energy. Introduce a renewable energy code of conduct "to ensure developers earn their social licence from the community that they operate in". Require that any energy funding provided to the states and territories is conditional on prioritising energy affordability and reliability. Redirect the Australian Energy Regulator to have primary regard to affordability and reliability, which will put households and businesses at the centre of regulatory decision-making. The Coalition argues the offshore wind push has failed, with no projects under construction four years after the first wind zone was declared, adding that the government was forced to commit about $50 million last year in financial relief for stalled proposals. United States President Donald Trump's moves to cancel funding and permits for offshore wind projects also cooled global investment. The energy minister conceded in his National Press Club address in August that offshore wind was reducing in cost more slowly than previously predicted. "Offshore wind has faced structural constraints around the world which make starting the industry from scratch harder than it would otherwise be," Mr Bowen said. The minister noted that offshore wind was never expected to contribute to the government's 2030 goal of 82 per cent of power coming from renewables, and the government remained focused on delivering that renewables power, "while keeping our eye over the horizon". The only measure in the Coalition's priority list that would encourage renewable power is a renewed pitch to lift the ban on nuclear power, which is prohibited under state and federal laws. The Coalition argues states may want to reconsider those bans as energy-hungry AI data centres roll out across the country, saying the stable renewables source would become a much more realistic option. However it will not re-adopt the proposal by former opposition leader Peter Dutton for the federal government to fund and part-own those nuclear plants — instead suggesting the only taxpayer support they would receive would be the same that is made available to any other energy source, such as through a reworked Capacity Investment Scheme. Independent MP Monique Ryan said the Coalition's proposal was "dumb, dangerous and desperate" and would make energy more expensive. "Australians have embraced clean energy because it works. We've spent years investing in rooftop solar, electric vehicles, household batteries and home electrification because these technologies save money and reduce emissions," Ms Ryan said. "The Liberals' retrograde attempt to appease the Nationals and woo One Nation voters would drag the country backwards."