TED O’BRIEN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY
SHADOW MINISTER FOR ENERGY AFFORDABILITY AND RELIABILITY
MEMBER FOR FAIRFAX
MEDIA STATEMENT
12/02/2025
LABOR-GREENS BACKROOM DEAL TO KILL OFF GAS
The Albanese Government is doing backroom deals with the Greens to kill off gas, proving yet again that Labor cannot be trusted on energy security.
Last night, Anthony Albanese wined and dined the Teals at the Lodge—today, he’s in Parliament backing Adam Bandt’s anti-gas crusade. By voting for amendments to the Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, Labor has sided with the Greens to lock gas out of the Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS), undermining reliability and driving up power prices.
This should serve as an early warning sign of what a Labor-Greens-Teal minority government would look like—higher energy costs, an unreliable grid, and Australian families and small businesses paying the price.
This is ideological madness. By shutting gas out of the CIS, Labor is making electricity more expensive and less reliable. The risk of blackouts will only grow as Labor ties Australia’s energy future to an all-eggs-in-one-basket renewables approach, ignoring the lived experience of families and businesses struggling with soaring bills.
Labor claims up to 18GW of gas capacity will be required over the next two decades, yet they have no mechanism to support investment. They talk a big game on gas, but their actions tell a different story. They are trying to pull the wool over Australians’ eyes while doing backroom deals with Adam Bandt to kill off the very energy sources we need to keep the lights on.
Anthony Albanese talks out of both sides of his mouth on gas, but Labor has not a skerrick of credibility now that they have shown their hand by buddying up with Adam Bandt on this anti-gas crusade.
The reality is simple: Australia needs a balanced energy mix and that includes gas working with renewables, especially before zero-emissions nuclear energy is available to enter the system in the mid to late 2030s.
The Coalition will restore common sense by ensuring gas is included in the Capacity Investment Scheme, securing investment in reliable, dispatchable power to keep prices low and the lights on for Australian households and businesses.