Federal Member for Dawson and Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability Andrew Willcox says the Coalition’s decision to abandon Labor’s net-zero target is a victory for common sense, cost-of-living relief and Australian industry.
Mr Willcox said the Coalition reached a principled position “the right way, through consultation, evidence and respect, not ideology, slogans or political theatre.”
“This decision puts Australians, and Dawson, first. It’s a practical plan to lower emissions without raising energy bills, because when energy costs more, everything costs more,” Mr Willcox said.
“Labor’s $9 trillion net-zero experiment would leave Medicare, the NDIS and the entire social compact at risk. Our plan doesn’t gamble the nation’s finances or sacrifice regional jobs to keep the activists happy.”
Mr Willcox said Australia is already pulling its weight on climate action. OECD nations are reducing emissions by around one per cent a year, Australia is reducing ours at double that rate.
“We are not climate laggards, we are climate over-achievers. We should do our fair share, but not twice everyone else’s share at an unsustainable cost.”
Meanwhile, Labor’s climate economics are failing every test of reality. Electricity prices are up 39 per cent, gas is up 46 per cent, real wages have fallen back to 2011 levels, and 7000 manufacturing jobs have disappeared.
“Labor’s net-zero policy has lost its social licence because it is costing households, costing jobs and costing us our competitive edge.”
Cheaper: Mr Willcox said the Coalition will back the best energy mix for Australia, not put “all our renewable eggs in one unreliable basket.” The policy opens the grid to zero-emissions nuclear, backs clean technology in gas and coal, and keeps renewables as part of the mix, just not the whole show.
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Labor instructs the market operator to chase targets. We will instruct it to chase the cheapest power. If we want affordable bills, the grid must buy affordability, not ideology.”
Better: Mr Willcox said Australia should focus on practical environmental action instead of locking up farmland to prove a point.
“Ninety-five per cent of Australia’s emission reductions so far have come from restricting productive land. That’s not environmentalism, that’s economic vandalism. We should invest more in bushfire mitigation, disaster-proof infrastructure, better land management and targeted local waterway health; solutions that protect both people and productivity.”
Fairer: Mr Willcox said Australia must continue to reduce emissions, but not in a way that destroys its economy.
“Labor’s targets require us to cut emissions by 4.7 per cent every year. That’s not a transition, that’s an amputation. If we sprint ahead of the world, we price ourselves out of markets, out of manufacturing and out of jobs.”
Mr Willcox said the Dawson region stands to benefit directly from a saner energy policy.
“Tourism operators, farmers, manufacturing plants, caravan parks, cold-stores, welding shops – every one of them runs on energy before they run on anything else.
“When power goes up, every room night, every crop, every truckload, every service costs more.
“Farmers don’t just harvest produce; they harvest power bills. A sugar mill can’t crush cane on a cloudy day and hope the batteries hold.
“Manufacturers don’t just compete with other nations; they compete with their electricity prices. You can’t forge steel on sunshine and good intentions.
“And our tourism operators can’t welcome more visitors if their overheads are soaring faster than the airfare.”
Mr Willcox said that in the real world, every dollar added to energy costs also increases costs for food, freight, housing materials, hospital expenses, and small business overhead.
“That’s why the Coalition has chosen cheaper, better and fairer – and Labor has chosen expensive, unreliable and unrealistic.
“I’m calling on local businesses to share their experiences with energy costs; you can reach me at andrew.willcox.mp@aph.gov.au.”
Blue River Ice owner Francis Vigliante is feeling the freeze, while his power bills are boiling. His monthly bill jumped from $10,000 to $25,000 in 2024. Photos supplied
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