MEDIA RELEASE
9 October 2026
Families and businesses across Fisher would be put first under the Liberals and Nationals’ plan to scrap Net Zero and prioritise cheaper, reliable power.
Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace MP said rising power bills were putting more pressure on household budgets at a time when families were already being squeezed by the cost of groceries, housing, insurance and other essentials.
“Every extra dollar spent on your power bill is a dollar less for groceries, the mortgage or rent and everything else your family needs,” Mr Wallace said.
“Australia is one of the most energy-rich countries in the world. We have abundant coal, gas, uranium, sunshine and natural resources, yet Australians are paying some of the highest power bills they have ever faced.
“Labor promised Australians their power bills would fall by $275 under their 82% renewables by 2030 plan. Instead, electricity prices have risen by nearly 40 per cent. And Labor continues to double-down on their energy policies.
“Families and businesses across the Sunshine Coast don’t need more ideology from Canberra. They need cheaper, reliable power.
“The Liberals and Nationals will scrap Net Zero and put affordability, reliability and energy security first.”
Within 30 days of being elected, the Liberals and Nationals will introduce the Scrap Net Zero (Cheaper Energy) Bill.
The legislation will:
- Scrap the Net Zero target, which currently exists in law.
- Remove the Safeguard Mechanism, which is destroying industries and costing Australian jobs like the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia.
- Scrap Labor’s family car and ute tax, which drives up the cost of some vehicles and limits consumer choice.
- Cancel four offshore wind zones and create a code of conduct for renewable developers to ensure they earn community support.
- Lift the legal ban on nuclear energy, giving the private sector the opportunity to invest, giving Australians access to reliable, emissions free power that can run around the clock, regardless of the weather.
- Make federal funding and the energy regulator prioritise cheaper, reliable power.
Mr Wallace said Fisher’s thousands of small businesses were particularly exposed to higher energy costs.
“Whether you run a café in Caloundra, a workshop in Witta, a tourism business in Mooloolaba or a manufacturing operation in Moffat Beach, electricity is a cost you simply cannot avoid,” Mr Wallace said.
“When power costs rise, businesses have to find that money somewhere. It means less money to employ another local, invest in new equipment or grow their business, and ultimately those higher costs are passed on to customers.
“We need to get back to the basics of energy policy: can Australians afford it, is it reliable and is it secure?
“The Coalition has a plan to fix our economy and protect our way of life. This plan starts with energy, the lifeblood of any nation. The Coalition supports cheaper, reliable and secure energy including coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, batteries and renewables in the right places.
“I want Australia to be an energy-abundant country where businesses want to invest, manufacturers want to employ Australians and where families aren’t dreading the next electricity bill.
“Cheaper power means more money left in the pockets of families on the Sunshine Coast and more opportunity for local businesses to invest, grow and employ.”
[ENDS]
Media Contact: Brendan West – 0402 556 646 – Brendan.west@aph.gov.au
