Independent Member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan, has condemned the Coalition’s latest climate and energy thought bubble as a reckless attempt to unwind Australia’s clean energy transition, warning it would drive up household power bills, undermine our energy security and investor confidence, and abandon Australia’s responsibilities to protect communities by acting on climate change.
“The Coalition’s plan is dumb, dangerous, and desperate climate denial which would make energy more expensive and unreliable,” Dr Ryan said.
Dr Ryan said the Coalition’s proposal represented a direct attack on policies that have helped millions of households lower their energy bills and reduce reliance on volatile, polluting fossil fuels.
“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. The Liberals’ retrograde attempt to appease the Nationals and woo One Nation voters would drag the country backwards.”
Dr Ryan said the timing of the Coalition’s announcement was both absurd – given recent evidence that Australia’s renewable energy transition is accelerating – and embarrassing given our leadership role at the impending COP31 meeting in Türkiye.
Over the weekend, solar and wind generation supplied a record 80 per cent of demand on Australia’s main electricity grid, with coal and gas contributing just 20 per cent. Australia remains a global leader in rooftop solar installation, and a rapid early adopter of household batteries. Our electric vehicle adoption has soared, with EV sales outpacing petrol cars for the first time last month. “The clean energy transition is not a future aspiration. It is already happening. The Coalition is fighting yesterday’s battles while Australians are building tomorrow’s clean energy economy today.”
Dr Ryan also remarked that the Coalition’s persistent attachment to the nuclear energy pipedream ignores economic reality and the outcome of the 2025 federal election.
“Communities like Kooyong made their views clear in 2022 and 2025. They’ve rejected expensive, slow, risky nuclear fantasies and voted for faster action on climate change. Australians understand that nuclear power would take decades to deliver while delaying investments in the clean energy generation, storage, and transmission infrastructure we need right now.”
Dr Ryan reaffirmed her unwavering commitment for stronger climate action, continued investment in renewable energy and electrification, and Australia’s international climate commitments.
“Australia must retain and strengthen its climate targets. The Coalition’s plan to pass legislation abandoning net zero embarrasses us in front of other middle and large powers, disrespects the Pacific partners who expect us to take climate change seriously, and endangers communities everywhere who live on the front line of the climate crisis.
“Giving up on climate action as we enter one of the most dangerous extreme weather seasons in our history is a breathtakingly irresponsible act by the Coalition. Australians deserve better but clearly won’t get it from the Liberal and National parties.”
