Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan speaks at CPAC Australia in Brisbane, Australia, on Oct. 11, 2026. Adam Chiang/The Epoch Times
BRISBANE, Australia—Shadow Minister for Energy Dan Tehan has promised the centre-right Coalition will repeal legislation committing Australia to net zero emissions by 2050.
“What [the Coalition] is going to do this week is begin the process of introducing our ‘scrap net zero bill,’” Tehan told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Australia in Brisbane on Oct. 11.
“We are incredibly serious about this.”
Tehan said he would fly to Canberra after his speech to begin the drafting process.
“When it comes to the states and territories, we will say to them: ‘If you want funding for your energy, then you will have to focus on two things: reliability and affordability,’” he said.
The shadow minister added that these requirements would also be imposed on the Australian Energy Regulator.
Related Stories
“You are focused on two things: reliability and affordability, because that is what we need as a nation,” he said.
Conservative Leaders Vow to Scrap Net Zero
This year’s CPAC event featured Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson, and Nationals Leader Matt Canavan.
A common message shared by the leaders is a commitment to scrap net zero.
“We will drag every corrupt contract into the open,” she said.
“Every dirty arrangement with a foreign company will be exposed.
“Every secret meeting behind closed doors will be revealed, and every dollar taken away from taxpayers that left power bills higher will be accounted for.”
“We got some big things right, but we got some important things wrong too,” he said.
“We will bring back cheap and abundant energy to bring down the cost of everything.”
Australia’s net zero target was legislated under the Albanese Labor government’s Climate Change Act 2022, which committed the country to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to 43 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.
Tehan said he would remove the Safeguard Mechanisms, saying Australia should pursue energy abundance.
“We’ve got the coal. We’ve got the gas. We’ve got the uranium. Why wouldn’t you use them?” he said.
