“We must act boldly and urgently”: Menzies candidates make their case for a greener future

Four Menzies candidates outlined their respective climate policies to voters on Thursday night at the Menzies for Climate candidates forum. 

One hundred and fifty constituents packed out the Manningham Function Centre last Thursday night to hear representatives from the Labor Party, the Greens, the Libertarian Party and an Independent contender speak on renewable energy plans, carbon emission reduction pathways and how they’ll translate these ideas into real-world change if elected. 

Professor David Karoly, climate expert and member of the Climate Council, delivered the keynote speech bearing “bad news”: global emissions have reached record highs and will continue to rise over the coming years. Australia will be particularly impacted, he said, as our temperatures are expected to be 40 percent higher than the global average. 

Karoly said Australia’s exports of coal and gas make it the third largest exporter of fossil fuels, supported by both the current Labor government and the Coalition. 

“They want to make climate change worse for you. I don’t know why, but they do,” he said.

Labor candidate Gabriel Ng wants a renewable future

As a young father of two, Ng said he wanted his children to “grow up on a habitable planet” and was confident Labor’s goal to reduce emissions by 43 percent by 2030 would help towards achieving that goal. 

He outlined Labor’s commitment to reaching net zero by 2050, with a plan to have 82 percent of the energy grid powered by renewables by 2030. In the last quarter of 2024, Labor had brought the grid to 26 percent renewable energy. 

Ng said he wanted to reinstate the Climate Change Authority (CCA), which provides independent science-based climate change advice to the Australian Government. 

“As a former public servant, I understand the importance of being able to provide frank and fearless advice to the government”, he said, noting that the Coalition has sought to abolish the CCA.

To address concerns that renewable energy could ice out the vulnerable, Ng outlined Labor’s $1 billion fund to make low-cost finance available to households to “upgrade homes with batteries and energy efficiency … we want to make sure as many people as possible can rely on renewable energy.” 

“We’re taking real action on climate change,” he said.

“We’ve launched a bid to host COP21 along with the Pacific in 2026, because we want to play a leadership role in addressing climate change.”

“We must act boldly and urgently”: Stella Yee, Independent

Growing up in Sandakan, Malaysia gave Yee a first-hand insight into environmental degradation: the logging and plywood industry dominated the local economy and rainforests were cleared for palm oil plantations. 

“I still cannot think of my hometown without sadness over the loss of one of the world’s richest ecosystems to greed and profit,” she told the crowd.

“Smoke constantly polluted the air we breathed from burning of timber offcuts near my home.”

Yee has committed to a 42 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 and wants Australia to reach net zero well before 2050. 

She also stood for legally binding carbon budgets, 80 percent clean electricity by 2030 and 100 percent soon after, no new fossil fuel projects and a managed coal phase-out program by 2040 with support for workers. 

Yee also backed a plan to electrify 10 million homes over 14 years through a $40-50 billion loan scheme, while “ensur[ing] renters, apartment dwellers and low-income households aren’t left behind” in the switch to renewables. 

For land and nature protection, Yee urged investment in Australian land clean-up technology, the protection of forests, wetlands, coasts and biodiversity, an end to native forest logging, shift to sustainable plantations and the promotion of regenerative agriculture. 

“We must act boldly and urgently,” she said.

“If we stay on this path, we face a two to four percent rise in global temperatures by the century’s end.

“This is not a liveable future for our children and grandchildren.” 

Joshua Utoyo from the Libertarian Party says he opposes subsidies for renewable energy

The Libertarian Party’s message is simple: “no bans, no subsidies.” Instead, decisions should be left to individuals. 

Menzies candidate Joshua Utoyo said his party does not support the likes of Gina Rinehart or Clive Palmer, but also won’t back initiatives like the Future Made in Australia Fund or the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

“The government should not be telling you what to do with your money,” he said.

“That decision should belong to you.” 

When discussing global climate, Utoyo said we should look to Xi Jinping or Donald Trump, “because they're the ones with the real influence here.” 

“Libertarians acknowledge the reality that Australia contributes to only one percent of global carbon emissions … Australian elected representatives should serve the Australian people, not foreign agendas.” 

While the CSIRO has found Australia contributes “just over 1 percent” of global emissions, that amount makes the country the world’s 14th highest emitter. Other organisations, like Climate Analytics, have found that while politicians and industry may argue Australia’s contribution is comparatively small, its domestic greenhouse gas emissions per capita are amongst the highest in the world. 

Bill Pheasant from the Greens says more action needs to be taken

Living in Warrandyte for a generation, Greens candidate Bill Pheasant said he was familiar with the preparation required before fire season and said he was worried some properties would soon be uninsurable. 

Drawing on record flooding in Queensland last year and Cyclone Alred that made landfall as far south as Brisbane, Pheasant warned extreme weather will only get worse, bringing insurance prices up. 

“Progress has been too slow, and emissions are not coming down far enough,” he said.

The Greens has published a 60-page policy that tackles emissions reductions across every sector, not just electricity.

Pheasant said it was also important to look at transport, agriculture, waste and forests. 

One key solution he outlined is ending native forest logging — over nine years, this would equate to a 43 percent emissions reduction. 

Pheasant also denounced Labor’s recent approval of 25 more coal and gas projects.

“We are in a climate emergency, and we need action to be so much faster,” he said.