Coalition vows to 'take a chainsaw' to climate laws and offshore wind
September 23 2026
ABC News.
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.
Dan Tehan says he wants to take a chainsaw to Labor's climate policies.
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.
Wannon MP Dan Tehan joined Energy Minister Chris Bowen to offer support for the Southern Ocean offshore renewable energy zone when it was first being consulted on.
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.
Forum
Pages: 1 
