Tuesday 29 July 2025

Transcript – Doorstop, Parliament House

 

E&O..........................................

Question:

Tim, what do you make of these predictions that fruit will become a once in a year thing? Is this a bit over the top of the UN and what should we do in terms of our 2035 target?

 

Tim Wilson: 

Our focus is on making sure that we develop a policy long-term to build out the energy security Australia needs. There's a simple reality, since Labor legislated net zero, they sold us a promise which was that we would see a reduction in prices, we would see a reduction of emissions and of course we'd have reliability on our electricity grid. In reality, it has been the reverse. We have seen a rise in prices, a rise in emissions and less reliability for our energy sources. So what we need now is honest conversations about the way forward and making sure we have our policy priorities in the right order. That's to make sure that we have reliability, affordability and emissions reduction so that we can take the Australian community with us.

 

Question:

Mr Wilson, do you think that the Coalition's angsting around net zero and climate change is causing you to lose the support of voters?

 

Tim Wilson: 

I think voters are deeply concerned about reliability issues, about affordability issues and of course about the health and well-being of the environment. And voters assess all these different things at different times. What's important is that we're seen to be leading and to be making serious contributions, because we have right now a government that says one thing but in practice does another. Let's just look at what Labor has said versus what Labor has done. Labor legislated net zero and they have then gone on and they have opened new coal mines and expanded new gas exploration. In addition to that, they went on and pushed for new coal subsidies for coal generation to address the fact that prices were rising. Let's look at what the Teals are doing. The Independent Member for Kooyong, Monique Ryan got elected on a platform of climate change being the most important issue to her as well as integrity in public office. Within six months, she had broken that promise and betrayed her electorate and voted for billions of dollars of new coal subsidies. The member for Curtin got elected on a platform of climate change and trust being the most important issue to her electorate, and within six months had broken her promise and voted for billions of dollars of new coals subsidies. The Member for Wentworth got elected on a platform of saying climate change was the most important issue to her electorate as well as trust. Within six months she had betrayed her electorate and voted for billions of dollars of new coal subsidies. The Member for Mackellar got elected on a platform of saying that climate change is the most important issue to her electorate as well as trust and within six months she had betrayed her electorate and voted for billions of dollars of new coal subsidies. The key thing the Coalition is doing is being open and honest with the Australian community about the challenges we face as a nation ahead. Developing a policy that brings in all the voices we need to lead for the future of this country, because the future the country is at stake and to make sure that we have the policy we need for future prosperity and growth and for a low emissions footprint into the future.

 

Question:

Where do you stand on the review the party is doing? Will you be pushing to keep net zero targets, will you be pushing to keep nuclear, or are you open minded?

 

Tim Wilson:

I've supported making sure that all energy sources are on the table my entire adult life so that's not going to change. And of course as part of this process we will look at making sure that we have a long term commitment to environmental sustainability, as well as reducing prices as well making sure we have reliability of our electricity grid. Because as a Coalition, we focus on making sure that we have balanced policy that takes the Australian community with us, it addresses the affordability and the liability issues that we face while making sure we leave a lighter footprint on the planet. Thank you.

ENDS