TRANSCRIPT – Sky News Regional Breakfast with Nikolina Kharoufeh

Angie Bell MP

Shadow Minister for the Environment

Shadow Minister for Youth

Federal Member for Moncrieff

TRANSCRIPT

Sky News Regional Breakfast with Nikolina Kharoufeh

24 November 2025

Subjects: Environment laws; The misalignment on energy between Chris Bowen and Anthony Albanese; Backing Sussan Ley as leader.

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

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Murray Watt has offered two major compromises to secure support to pass Labor’s green laws reforms in the final sitting week of the year. In a bid to the Coalition, he has signaled at reducing heavy penalties for businesses which violate the new environment laws. He also made an offer to the Greens proposing amended legislation to impose more stringent protections on native forest logging. The federal government is hoping to pass the laws through the upper house. Liberal Senator Jane Hume says the move from Watt is a good start but hopes the Labor Party can make a deal with the Coalition.

[start excerpt]

JANE HUME:

For the sake of the business community, for the sake of the economy, we would much rather that the government deal with the Coalition on this, but they have to demonstrate good faith in doing that. Now, we can see that the Environment Minister Murray Watt has moved, somewhat. That’s a good thing, but we still have questions that need answering.

[end excerpt]

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Well, joining me live now is Shadow Environment Minister Angie Bell. Thank you so much for joining us this morning, Angie, it’s a pleasure to have you on well, are the Coalition considering this compromise that’s been offered?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, thanks for having me on, Nikolina. And can I just firstly say thoughts are with Northern Territorians this morning as they clean the mess up and get through the storm up there. Look on EPBC reform, we are being constructive with the government. I’ve met with the Minister a number of times, seven or eight times now, where we’ve discussed the 1500-page Bill that’s before the Senate, and of course, there’s a Senate inquiry underway that is due to report back on the 24th of March.

But we have put forward the substantive changes that we would like to see changed in these bills, and the ball is in the Minister’s court when it comes to the amendments that need to be brought forward, so that we can safeguard jobs and we can safeguard, improve, productivit- which this government is all about. But also, investment in our nation, and let’s be clear, also environmental protections, which are well overdue.

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Angie, could you highlight any of those main amendments that you’re really focusing on being changed?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, certainly we put forward seven main issues that we have with the bill, but there are many more. And there’s a secondary list as well that I’ve asked the Minister to look at, certainly the Environmental Protection authority’s powers, and we want to make sure that the CEO is accountable to the Minister, has KPIs, and that there is a binding agreement around that, so that the CEO can be dismissed if they do not perform. That’s certainly a stakeholder concern.

There’s the definition or lack of definition around unacceptable impacts and also net gain that is in the bills. Stakeholders are concerned about that, so we need clarity on that. We want to make sure that there’s streamlined pathways, and that the pathways the Minister is suggesting to take away, which are no longer in the bills, are put back in the bills. Because stakeholders are concerned around the impact that may have on projects, and of course, that means jobs at the end of the day. There are very many other issues. I can outline all of them, if you like, but there’s some duplication around emissions reporting as well that we think is unnecessary because it’s already reported under the safeguard mechanism.

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Okay, thank you for explaining those, Angie. I appreciate it. Now, over to energy. The Prime Minister and the Energy Minister, Chris Bowen, don’t seem to be aligned, as Anthony Albanese backs gas, while Bowen insists on a transition away from fossil fuels. I believe we’ll get Angie back now to speak on this. What do you make of this misalignment here between the Prime Minister and Chris Bowen?

ANGIE BELL:

Is this a Tanya Plibersek 2.0 moment for the Prime Minister and his Energy Minister? I should say, part-time energy minister, who’s auditioning for his next role after he leaves the Australian Parliament, into, of course, some kind of global role that I’m sure will feed his ego, no doubt not that it needs feeding right now. The hubris that’s coming from this government is jaw dropping right now, Nikolina. But what I will say is that they are at odds with one another and Australians right now, who can’t pay their electricity bills, especially in regional Australia, where bills are skyrocketing, need to have a full time Minister putting downward pressure on energy prices.

Because under this government’s energy rollout, all we’re seeing is increases, in fact, almost 40 per cent increases under this government, in electricity bills, and that’s why the Coalition is focused on our energy policy to put downward pressure by bringing energy abundance to the Australian grid. And to make sure that we are responsible in reducing emissions and make sure that we can put downward pressure to make certain that we deliver affordable energy for Australians.

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Well, I want to ask you hear in terms of net zero, of course, there’s been a little bit of misalignment, I guess, from federal to state level, in terms of the support for net zero here. What do you make of I guess that misalignment?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, certainly the states will have their own targets, and what we are focused on in the Coalition is a circuit breaker for energy policy in this country because the government, federally, is not delivering on lower energy costs. Remember all the way back when $275 reduction in electricity bills was not delivered by the Prime Minister. He promised that, and since then, Australians are paying more than $1,200 more for their electricity. And so, there’s a broken promise right there. What we are focused on as a Coalition is good policy that will put downward pressure on electricity prices and make sure that we are also responsibly bringing down emissions. Because let’s remember that emissions have flat lined under this government, and they are sending the country broke with their reckless energy policies.

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Angie, if you don’t mind, I’d like to touch on the newspoll and latest numbers there. That poll has revealed Andrew Hastie is emerging as the most popular, preferred opposition leader behind Sussan Ley. The numbers aren’t really picking up for the party either. How’s the party feeling about this?

ANGIE BELL:

Well, look, I think it’s early days since the election. Clearly, we have more work to do to earn the trust of Australians, but I would encourage my colleagues to get behind our leader. She has outlined, now a new energy policy. She’s talked about delivering tax cuts for Australians, which, of course, is very important to households to make sure that we can deliver that she’s talked about the intergenerational inequities that exist for young people who want to buy their first home. And so, I think the opposition leader is making all the right signs, saying the right things in terms of what she’s focused on, and I know that she’s 100 per cent focused on Australians and the cost of living crisis that they are facing under this government.

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

All right, Angie, and you are backing Sussan Ley?

ANGIE BELL:

Absolutely. 100 per cent.

NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:

Thank you very much for joining us this morning. Appreciate it.

ANGIE BELL:

My pleasure.

ENDS.