Albanese Government blocking out ‘noise’ of climate change denial to push forward with renewables rollout

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has issued a blunt warning to climate change deniers, saying he is filtering out the “noise” as the Albanese Labor Government prepares for a renewables rollout.

Australia’s energy policies have divided the nation as Aussies continue to be slugged with high energy prices amid a cost-of-living crisis that Labor continue to struggle to conquer.

In a signal that may terrify those who do not support the Albanese Government’s staunch renewables rollout plan, Mr Bowen, who is also the Climate Change Minister, says he cares about neighbours, but not about climate change denial.

“Where the neighbour objects, I take that very seriously. But there are a lot of wind and solar proposals where the objector lives hundreds of kilometres away,” he told the Australian.

“Are they entitled to their objection? Sure. Is it the same as the neighbour saying: ‘I don’t like it’? No, it’s not.

“I care very much about signal: where a community has a legitimate concern that needs to be worked through. They’ve got my full attention.

“Whereas noise: where there’s climate change denial, anti-­renewables disinformation. I ­accept that’s a reality. I don’t ­accept that influences policy.”

Mr Bowen’s push, he says, is necessary for Australia to have a “prosperous economy”.

“It is the key determining ­factor to whether we’re a prosperous economy or not, in my view.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s second-term Government is standing steadfast in its plan to meet 2035 targets to reduce emissions and transition to renewables.

Juts last week, the Labor Government approved a controversial wind farm for Tasmania after years of delays.

Minister for the Environment and Water of Australia Murray Watt gave the green tick to the controversial project that sits directly in the migration path of the critically endangered orange-bellied parrots, and sits on an small island where Tasmanian devils exists without the presence of a facial tumour disease which has devastated the population in Tasmania.

The Robbins Island project was approved by the Commonwealth Government, with “strict conditions”, Senator Watt said.

“The decision includes strict conditions from both the Tasmanian and Australian governments to ensure this project will be constructed and operated in a way that safeguards nationally protected species,” Senator Watt said.

“This includes the orange-bellied parrot, Tasmanian devil, Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and protected migratory shorebirds.”

Defending his controversial approval on ABC last week, Senator Watt said this was a “signal” that he followed “the law”.

As Labor continues to push forward with stronger numbers after the landslide 2025 Federal election, the Albanese Government is giving the signal it is pushing forward with renewables, despite what naysayers want.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who is yet to wrangle the Coalition on net zero or an energy policy, says she is working with her Liberal and Nationals colleagues on an energy policy that is right for Australia.

She believes that emission reduction is necessary, but as she told a regional bush summit last week, it cannot come at “any cost”.

“Farmers now face the building of transmission lines across prime agricultural land near Ballarat,” Ms Ley said on a Ballarat stage, where she received cheers and applause throughout her address.

“They see vast solar and wind farms imposed without proper consultation.

“They are looking at a high stakes takeover of private property and local landscapes with no consultation — 80 meter tall towers, crisscrossing paddocks, crisscrossing productive farmland.

“A fire risk, a biosecurity risk, damaging fencing, coercive land access powers, forced access, criminalising farmers if they refuse access for surveys.

“What on earth is going on? I am shocked to read of what is passing through the Victorian Parliament.

“My mantra is simple; ‘if a farmer does not want a high transmission, a high powered transmission line across their farm line, then it should not happen’.

“Of course, renewable energy has a place in our future, but it’s absolutely essential that the impact on our farmers is fully taken into account.”

Ms Ley appeared to carefully word her response to questioning about the Coalition’s recent division over net zero.

The Liberal leader said the party was still in consultation after the election loss and would continue their review in a “constructive, policy-focused way”.

“Everywhere I go I talk to people about energy. We do need to have an energy policy that delivers affordable, reliable energy and plays Australia’s role in reducing emissions,” she said.

“But . . . it can’t come at any cost. So, we are working through everything that we need to.”