Australia chose support for solar, electrification and climate progress
Labor was returned with a very large majority, and Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate.
We have read through some expert responses and given you a comprehensive look looking at opportunities for climate action and potential challenges in what could be a groundbreaking term.
Solar, electrification and EVs for a lot more Australians? Two way modern grid? Clean energy exports? What about finally stopping new coal and gas?
In many it ways it is up to us to seize the potential of the next three years.
Check out our blog on second term big ideas for climate here.
Kooyong 2025
Climate independent Dr Monique Ryan was re-elected despite an aggressive, massively funded disinformation and anti-renewables campaign. The Vote Climate campaign was centered around the Candidate Scorecard, which was distributed to the whole electorate, and at pre-poll and the majority of booths at polling day.
- Kooyong Votes Climate campaign page
- Vote Climate Launch blog
- Kooyong Candidates Forum blog
Chisholm 2025
Labor MP Carina Garland was re-elected despite an aggressive anti-renewables campaign. The Vote Climate campaign, led by Chisholm Climate Action Network, centred around the Candidate Forum and the Candidate Scorecard which was distributed to the whole electorate, and at pre-poll and selected booths at polling day.
- Chisholm Vote Climate campaign page
- Ashburton festival blog
- Chisholm Candidates Forum blog
Menzies 2025
Labor candidate Gabriel Ng was elected with the support of independent and Greens preferences, the first time Menzies has been represented by Labor. The Vote Climate campaign, led by Menzies for Climate, centered around the Candidate Forum and Candidate Scorecard, handed out at pre-poll and selected booths on polling day.
- Menzies campaign page
- Menzies Candidates Forum blog
Vote Climate campaigns in Kooyong, Chisholm and Menzies
Climate action benefits our families, our community and our environment.
Kooyong Climate Change Alliance and Lighter Footprints led the Vote Climate campaign in Kooyong, supported by ACF Boroondara, Renew Australia for All, Asian Australians for Climate Solutions and Doctors for the Environment Australia. The campaign in Chisholm was led by Chisholm Climate Action Network, supported by ACF Chisholm, Lighter Footprints and Renew Australia for All, and in Menzies, the recently formed Menzies for Climate alliance led the Vote Climate campaign, supported by member groups including Lighter Footprints and Renew Australia for All.
Campaign Framing
The Vote Climate campaigns were based round protecting the environment and lowering the cost of living through supporting solar and household electrification.
Campaign Events
Volunteers organised a Launch featuring ACF’s nuclear free campaign, Dave Sweeney, regular stalls, showed up at festivals and roadside vigils, letter dropped the whole electorates of Kooyong and Chisholm with the scorecard, organised candidate forums in each electorate, and handed out the climate scorecard at selected booths on pre-poll and polling day in Chisholm and Menzies, and covered all of pre-poll in Kooyong and the majority of polling day booths.
These electorates did indeed say Yes to Renewables and No to Nuclear offering a strong vote of confidence for faster climate action and moving rapidly away from coal and gas,
Top climate action issues
Australia is at a crossroads when it comes to climate and energy policy.
We need representatives who will support households and businesses going electric to save on energy bills and protect our health.
Protecting forests and biodiversity is a powerful form of climate action, but our environment laws are broken. .
With the right leadership we can grasp the immense economic opportunities offered by becoming a clean energy superpower in a decarbonising world with green manufacturing, exports and future focused jobs.
Electrify everything!
Helping households reduce energy costs and emissions
Cost of living is high on everyone’s mind. Fully electric homes are less expensive to run. We need representatives who will prioritise household electrification.
- Subsidies for efficient electric appliances
- Support for community energy sharing and battery uptake
- Improved EV infrastructure nationally
- Help for renters to access solar
Electric appliances are more efficient and save money
Electric appliances are more efficient, save money, and do not release irritating indoor pollutants.
Reverse cycle air conditioning for heating (and cooling) is safer than ducted gas heating, improves air quality, is better for your respiratory health, and saves hundreds of dollars per year in running costs.
Replacing your gas hot water system with an electric heat pump, has lower running costs, reduces your energy bills and leads to significant savings in household emissions, particularly when coupled with solar PV or green electricity purchases.
Induction cooking is very efficient with precise control of temperature and is safer than gas cooking. Often gas cooking is the last gas appliance to go, allowing householder to save hundreds of dollars each year from disconnecting from gas – and the cooktop is much easier to clean.
Grasping Opportunities
Australia can be a renewable energy superpower
World leading technologies coupled with unparalleled natural resources means unlimited opportunity.
- Exporting green iron and green aluminium
- Processing precious metals needed for the energy transition
- Low carbon manufacturing
- Exporting clean energy
- Skilled, future focused jobs
The clean energy revolution needs political support
CSIRO research confirms Australia’s unparalleled renewable resources, but says other nations will outperform us unless we invest now in new industries, with policy support.
Protecting Nature
Climate change puts nature and biodiversity at risk
Australia’s nature laws are broken. Climate change and habitat loss are leading to increasing species loss.
- Extreme weather events damage animal habitats
- Three billion animals died in the Black Summer fires
- Seismic blasting surveying for offshore gas puts marine animals at risk
- Climate change is killing the Great Barrier Reef
Stop Making the Problem Worse
No new coal and gas approvals
Australia’s fossil fuel exports make us the second largest climate polluter in the world, beaten only by Russia.
- New coal and gas approvals have continued under the Albanese government
- Our nature laws don’t consider the climate impacts of new projects and need to be changed
- No public money should be spent to support fossil fuel projects
- We don’t need new gas fields to meet our domestic demands.
Moving past coal and gas
- A new report from IEEFA says that reducing gas demand by going electric would bridge gas shortages.
- Approvals for fracking (banned in Victoria) threaten water security and cultural sites
- Fossil fuel subsidies have risen to $14.5 billion/year, and should be eliminated.
Cleaning up politics
Fossil fuel interests have undue influence over our elected representatives. Political donations and unchecked and undisclosed lobbying activities mean vested interests dominate in Canberra.
- Fossil fuel subsidies in the 2023/2024 year totalled 14.5 billion ($27,581 for every minute of every day)
- Since 2001 every departing resources Minister has gone to work in the fossil fuel sector
- The Australian Medical Association called for “an end to donations from the fossil fuel industry to political parties and for fossil fuel subsidies to be transitioned to renewable energy.”
Making good technology choices
Nuclear is an expensive distraction
Australia has the world’s best natural resources in wind and sun. Renewable energy backed up with storage is the least expensive form of new energy.
- Nuclear is too expensive and slow to develop compared to renewables
- Nuclear will require government funding because it is not commercially attractive
- The nuclear proposal threatens investor confidence in renewables and would prolong the shift away from coal and gas
- Nuclear power is not appropriate for Australia
Nuclear doesn't stack up
- Commercial investors aren’t interested in nuclear because it doesn’t stack up financially
- The Smart Energy Council finds “building seven nuclear – reactors could cost “between $116-$600 billion of taxpayers’ dollars, whilst only providing 3.7% of Australia’s energy mix in 2050″
- Australia has no existing nuclear industry or expertise which would take time to develop
- Nuclear faces significant regulatory and statutory barriers which would take time to remove
- Nuclear power does not mix well with renewables as it is inherently inflexible, and would need to displace renewables
- Nuclear waste remains a worldwide problem
Taking Health Seriously
Climate action is good for our health
The negative health impacts of climate change are significant and increasing.
- Heatwaves cause significant health impacts including 3,000 deaths per year in Australia
- Moving away from household gas protects our health – gas cooking causes up to 12% of childhood asthma
- Supporting active transport – cycling, walkable neighbourhoods – will improve our health
- Climate fuels extreme weather, fires and floods damage our communities and threatens mental health
- The Lancet’s landmark Countdown Report asserts that “Climate change is the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century.”
Going electric drops asthma risk
Gas appliances exacerbate childhood asthma and are associated with other health impacts.
University of Queensland research found that gas cooking is causally implicated in 12% of childhood asthma – this was further publicised through a Climate Council report. Asthma Australia is informing parents about the risks of gas cooking.
An epidemiological meta-analysis found that “children living in a home with gas cooking have a 42% increased risk of having current asthma, a 24% increased risk of lifetime asthma”.
The Climate Council reporting on an environmental health study on gas stoves states “more than half of occupants with were routinely exposed to harmful levels of NO2 and formaldehyde” if used with poor ventilation.
Reduce asthma risk immediately for under $100!
- Always use ventilation when cooking with gas
- Try out induction cooking with a portable unit – its fast, efficient and easy to clean
Step up for climate in 2025!
A problem – our politicians are still approving new coal and gas
Even though Australia has world leading solar and wind resources, and massive potential for renewables-led exports, our government still is promoting gas expansion. Currently, including exports, Australia contributes a whopping 4.5% of global emissions, continuing to damage our climate.
- Labor is refusing to reveal 2035 climate targets, and the Liberals won’t even reveal the 2030 target – we should know what we are voting for.
- Accelerating climate action would set Australia up to be a clean energy superpower, transforming manufacturing and exports.
Time is running out. We have to shift our politics!
Australia is vulnerable to increasing climate damage from fires, droughts and floods, according to the latest State of the Climate CSIRO report.
Moving to clean energy and protecting forests will lower costs, increase our resilience, and protect our future.
At this point, we have an opportunity to support our local MPs in Kooyong, Chisholm and Menzies in accelerating renewables, green manufacturing, solar PV and household electrification, and continuing to challenge our government over expanding coal and gas and fossil exports.
Further information
Vote Climate Campaigns really work!
- In 2024, Lighter Footprints volunteers helped run the Boroondara Votes Climate campaign, which assisted in returning a majority climate-friendly Council.
- In 2022, Vote Climate campaigns helped shift the vote in Kooyong, Higgins and Chisholm.
Climate was the top vote determining issue in 2022
Climate the top vote-determining issue according to Vote Compass and the ABC. Find out more about the value of putting accurate information in the hands of voters on our Vote Climate campaign summaries page.
Lighter Footprints information
Going electric and energy efficiency
- Entertaining short video on electrification with home energy expert Tim Forcey
- Home energy assessments – summary blog
- Insulation and draught proofing – informative video highlights
- Health benefits of getting off gas – Dr Genevieve Cowie video highlights
Energy
- We can do this! Richard Denniss, The Australia Institute, gives us a rousing call to move faster towards clean energy.
- Delaying renewables and expanding fossil exports – more details on nuclear and CCS here.
Acknowledgements
Vote Climate scorecards are developed by members of the Victorian Climate Action Network Scorecard Working Group in conjunction with KCCA, and other local climate groups. The scorecards are policy based and do not endorse particular candidates. Boroondara candidate scorecards were based on questionnaire responses and developed in partnership with KCCA.
Victorian Climate Action Network (VCAN)
VCAN is a coordinating body for Victorian climate groups
Kooyong Climate Change Alliance (KCCA)
Along with partner local climate groups, Lighter Footprints is a member of KCCA.
Lighter Footprints is assisting KCCA in running the non-partisan Vote Climate campaign in Kooyong.
Menzies for Climate
Along with partner local climate groups, Lighter Footprints is a member of Menzies for Climate which is coordinating the non-partisan Menzies Vote Climate campaign.
Authorised by Lighter Footprints Inc, Register No A0095302A, 12 Segtoune St, Kew, Victoria
Sign up to our newsletter
to receive news and updates about effective local climate action