Perth’s state library theatre was packed out on Tuesday night last week to hear climate and energy policies from the main political parties and from a community independent.
Attendees in person and online had the opportunity to table questions to the panel of Reece Whitby (Labor Energy Minister), Dr Steve Thomas (Coalition), Dr Brad Pettitt (Greens) and Dr Rachel Horncastle (Cottesloe’s community independent candidate).
The recorded conversation reveals uncertainty about policy and the path forward in a number of key areas: emissions reduction legislation and related targets; role of gas in the transition; timely replacement generation for the planned coal exit; government support for industry decarbonisation; funding of critical transmission; and a just transition.
WA Climate Change Bill: Where to Next?
The Bill was introduced into the legislative assembly in November 2023 before lapsing undebated when the WA Parliament was prorogued in late 2024..
Dr Pettitt highlighted in his policy pitch that WA is “the only state with rising emissions” and “there’s no serious plan to get our emissions down this decade”.
Cottesloe community independent candidate Dr Horncastle clearly stated her support for a climate change bill with teeth – “we need interim emissions targets… and we need renewable energy targets”.
Dr Thomas, whilst committed to 2050 net zero was not supportive of interim targets, stating “those interim targets are probably unachievable” and the focus needs to “keep the lights on”.
Minister Whitby confirmed that Labor is committed to introducing “an interim target by 2035”.
Gas: Will it Continue its Dominance?
When asked if Labor would seek to reduce domestic gas demand by supporting industry decarbonisation, the Energy Minister agreed “gas has a use by date” and noted that “at the moment, the best thing we can do is what we’re already doing in terms of investing and being an instigator of new transmission, new infrastructure”.
The Minister is supportive of the renewables roll out to “90% and beyond” supported by “enough firming gas in the system” that provide “energy security” necessary to provide “public support for this transition”.
Greens’ Brad Pettitt cited peer-reviewed studies that challenged the idea of gas as a transition fuel, arguing that gas deters large-scale renewable investments. He stated that large scale gas development is not required to keep the lights on, and gas is being locked into the system well beyond 2050 with the Government’s support for the Woodside led North West Shelf life extension project, with what he noted a “lot more gas out to 2070”.
Independent Dr Horncastle focused on public health, highlighting research linking household gas exposure to respiratory illnesses. She called for stronger policies to support household electrification and energy efficiency improvements, particularly for renters and low-income families, who are often locked into inefficient, high-cost energy housing.
WA’s LNG exports are increasingly under scrutiny, with international studies suggesting that gas expansion actually hinders global decarbonisation. Dr Pettitt cited the Woodside-commissioned CSIRO 2019 report that found that increased LNG production delays renewable energy investment in key export markets.
With no credible plan to significantly reduce emissions from gas use or to manage gas supply-demand during a gas ramp down, the audience’s patience ran thin and they vocalised their frustration.
Common User Infrastructure – Enabling the Electricity Market
SWIS transmission capacity and related connection delays are well known issues in the WA energy community and featured prominently in audience questions.
Dr Pettitt argued that the proposed government-imposed connection fees of $100K per MW discourage renewable energy investment, creates unnecessary barriers for new projects, especially from smaller developers. He pointed to Victoria and New South Wales as examples of states proactively planning infrastructure with designated Renewable Energy Zones (REZs), streamlining grid integration and approvals, and that actively encouraged investment.
Dr Thomas took a different approach, saying “the 4,000 kilometres (in the SWIS Demand Assessment) is really a nonsense number” and “I’m a much bigger believer in distributed generation and distributed storage”.
Planned WA coal exit – on track?
Whilst we know you need to build the new before shutting down the old, a question was asked if sufficient replacement generation was going to be available in time to support the planned coal exit?
Dr Thomas was unequivocal stating “It is a 10 year plan … to be able to close down the 1300 megawatts of coal that currently exists” and that “there is no way in the world that government would be able to do that in the timeframe”.
He added that the State Government support for Griffin Coal “for a quarter of a billion dollars until the middle of next year when it all falls apart.”
The Minister countered, indicating the electricity market is providing new generation, the reserve capacity mechanism is working well and there is “an increased buffer has been built into the system that was never there before”.
The government has done modelling on the required coal replacement generation but has not released it, perhaps because of the sensitivity around the privately owned Bluewaters coal plant when the Minister said it was “very important power source” and it’s a “tricky dance getting out of coal”.
We fact checked Dr Thomas’s statement that 87% of the energy mix was fossil fuel supplied on the 20th January 2025 and found that instantaneous figures can be deceptive as the figure below shows.
A just transition – no one left behind?
Often overlooked in WA’s energy transition are housing affordability and tenant rights. Many renters live in poorly insulated homes without access to solar power or energy-efficient appliances, making them vulnerable to rising energy costs.
Pettitt and Horncastle pushed for mandatory minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties, following suit from those enacted in the ACT and Victoria. Horncastle suggested tax breaks or subsidies to help landlords make energy-efficient upgrades without passing costs onto tenants.
She also suggested public education campaigns to raise awareness of the benefits of household electrification. Thomas, however, opposed government intervention in private rental markets, preferring a market-driven approach.
WA state election March 8th
As the election approaches, WA voters face a critical decision. Labor remains committed to gas as a transition fuel, the Liberals advocate extending gas reliance still further, arguing it’s essential for energy security, the Greens continue to push for bold climate action, demanding an immediate shift away from gas and a massive scale-up of renewable investments, and independents like Horncastle highlight health and community impacts, particularly for renters and low-income households.
One thing is sure: WA can no longer afford to stall its energy transition and that transition requires timely state investment in transmission. The state’s economic resilience, international reputation, and environmental future depend on decisive leadership and well-funded action in the years ahead.
Fraser Maywood is chair of Sustainable Energy Now. Isobella Montgomery Fowke is strategic international coordinator, renewable energy, at the Victoria University of Wellington
