ABC Radio National Breakfast with Sally Sara

Angie Bell MP

Shadow Minister for the Environment

Shadow Minister for Youth

Federal Member for Moncrieff

TRANSCRIPT

ABC Radio National Breakfast with Sally Sara

5 September 2025

Subjects: The $210 billion dollar cost of cutting emissions, Labor’s energy failings and the Coalition’s constructive, yet critical approach to environmental reform.

E&OE…………………………………………………………………………………………………

SALLY SARA:

As the federal government prepares to announce its 2035 emissions target, the Business Council of Australia has released its own economic modelling on the cost of cutting emissions.

[Excerpt]

BRAN BLACK:

There is a pathway for Australia to be really ambitious in terms of the target that it sets, but it is expensive and it’s difficult and we need to make sure that we’re very clear-eyed in terms of the approach that we take going into that target-setting process. We want Australia to be ambitious, but we need to make sure that we’re inherently practical along the way.

SALLY SARA:

That was the Business Council’s Chief Executive, Bran Black, who also says inaction on climate change is no longer an option. It comes as the Coalition continues to review its commitment to achieving net zero emissions. Angie Bell is the Shadow Environment Minister and joins me now. Angie Bell, welcome back to Radio National Breakfast.

ANGIE BELL:

Thanks so much for having me this morning, Sally.

SALLY SARA:

The Business Council is saying that these emissions targets are doable, provided there is significant investment. Why is the Coalition dragging its feet on making its own policy decision in this area?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, I wouldn’t say we’re dragging our feet. We are working methodically through the process of reviewing our emissions and energy policy, which I think is what we owe the Australian people – to make sure that we highlight the government’s failings on how they are rolling out their energy policy. But certainly, we have done a lot of work in the sitting weeks that we have had led by Dan Tehan and the process that we are undertaking to look at all energy options, but also, the cost.

And I think it’s important to outline here that the Labor government are failing on all measures when it comes to the promises they made before the last election, where they promised, we know Australians were expecting $275 off their electricity bills. We know that the Labor government promised 82 per cent renewables by 2030. They’re failing that target. And also, on emissions reduction, because we’re back at the same levels that we were at when we left government. And so, Labor are failing on all three measures when it comes to their energy and their emissions policy. And it’s our job as an opposition to work through that methodically and hold the Labor government to account on what they are doing.

SALLY SARA:

What do you think the 2035 target will be?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, we’ll respond to that after the government has obviously outlined their target. But I think what really has been highlighted today, and taxpayers should be aware, a $210 billion cost to the taxpayer or possibly even up to $530 billion. These are enormous numbers, Sally, and it is our job as an opposition to roll out our policy that we think is in the best interest of the country.

SALLY SARA:

What would be the cost of doing nothing?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, of course, climate change is real. We don’t deny the science. I believe in climate change like everybody else does. We don’t know the impact and the cost, but we do know that the government will be releasing various reports over the next week or so that will outline their emissions reduction policy based on climate projections.

SALLY SARA:

If the Business Council can look ahead and assess options, why can’t the Coalition?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, as I’ve said, Sally, we are working through that process and it takes time to look at all of the different energy inputs, to look at the cost of all of those inputs. For example, gas, we have been looking at over the last couple of weeks that we’ve met in Canberra, our gas policy, and in due course we will announce that as we move forward through this process.

SALLY SARA:

Has the Coalition commissioned modelling as part of its policy review?

ANGIE BELL:

We are engaging with various organisations when it comes to facts and figures around energy inputs, and as I said, just over the last few weeks we’ve been looking at gas and we have had experts in the room talking to us. We’ve spoken with gas producers on that. We’ve spoken to McKinsey on some of their facts and figures. And so, we’re looking at what the details are and what the costs are. And I think that’s what we owe to the Australian people as a good opposition.

SALLY SARA:

Will the Coalition be commissioning its own standalone modelling to help make this decision?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, that review is being led by Dan Tehan, so that will be a decision for the working group when we get to that point.

SALLY SARA:

So, no modelling is being commissioned at this stage?

ANGIE BELL:

Not that I’m aware of, no.

SALLY SARA:

If this division between the Coalition signals uncertainty to the business community, could this drive business closer to the government’s position?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, look, I think business and industry obviously are already on a path to net zero. And the process that we are undertaking is the cost of net zero to the nation, to taxpayers, but also the efficacy of the government’s energy policy. And we are methodically working through the process and in due course we will come to our position on this.

SALLY SARA:

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has signalled that he might not legislate the 2035 targets. Is this something you would welcome?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, look, we didn’t agree in legislating the target last time because what is the point of legislating a target if you’re not going to actually reach it? And what we’ve seen is the government failing to reach its own legislated targets. Look, certainly business want to see certainty around the trajectory of where the country is going with regard to net zero. And businesses certainly, the stakeholders that I’ve met with in my environment portfolio, want certainty around the direction they’re heading. But they also want to, when it it comes to the environment, they want in terms of, you know, the EPBC reform that’s on the table, which I’d love to speak to you about.

SALLY SARA:

Regarding the reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. You say a line can be walked between the two major parties. You’ve met with Environment Minister Murray Watt. Has there been much progress there?

ANGIE BELL:

That’s right, Sally. I have met with Minister Watt and my door is open to Labor to make sure that the reforms that we undertake in the EPBC Act are delivering certainty that I talked about for industry and jobs and the future, but also to protect our environment, which is degrading. And it has to be highlighted that Labor have had to reform this Act and they’ve failed on that and so here we are in the next term of government.

And I think it would be the best interest of the nation for the two major parties to come to the table and to make sure that these reforms to the EPBC Act are sensible and serve our country into the future because these reforms are too important to get wrong. And I think we’d like to see some recommendations of the Samuel Review come to the fore. We’d like to see what the environmental standards are, that are going to protect the environment. But we also want to see less red and green tape, not more. And we want to see the Minister retain the decision-making powers.

SALLY SARA:

Will your party support regional forestry being brought back under the Act?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, that is something that I will speak to the Minister about as we have these consultations, and then I’ll go through the process with our party room and with the Shadow Cabinet to state our position at that time. We haven’t seen the detail yet, so we want to see what’s in the Act and what’s in the draft legislation, and the Minister has publicly said that won’t be available until he introduces it. I don’t have any detail at this point to make comment on that.

SALLY SARA:

And just to clarify, is the Environment Minister having the final say on approval decisions, is that a red for you or are you willing to compromise on that at all?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, certainly this is about an EPA and what that EPA looks like. We already have seven EPAs around the country and to have a federal EPA may risk doubling up on that red tape and green tape and actually blowing out approval time. So, we want to see what the model of EPA is that the minister is putting on the table. Stakeholders are telling us certainly they want to see the minister retaining the power when it comes to decision-making and not a CEO that is removed from the Westminster system making all the decisions.

SALLY SARA:

Angie Bell, thank you for your time this morning.

ANGIE BELL:

Thanks so much, Sally.

ENDS.