No net zero, no billions for the bush

The Coalition, led by some Nationals members, is again at war with itself over net zero.  

This fight may serve short-term political ambitions of the National’s fractured leadership, but it’s a dead-end for the country and a disaster for the bush.  

Every year we delay the transition to a clean energy grid costs Australia thousands of jobs and billions in real dollars.  

It also comes with a rising human and natural toll as fires, floods and storms hurt people and nature across the country. 

Scrapping net zero means turning our backs on income for farmers, upgraded roads and hospitals and cheaper energy bills for families doing it tough.  

These opportunities aren’t far off in the future. They are knocking on the door.  

Australia’s 20 remaining coal fired power stations are falling apart. Some off them keep exploding (looking at you, Callide).  

The clock is ticking to replace them with cheap, clean, reliable renewables.  

The gains from net zero are real – and overwhelmingly rural.  

Yet the Nationals are leading the charge to tear it all down.  

Instead of backing farmers, workers and communities hungry for opportunity, they’re reviving tired old culture wars that put politics ahead of people.  

It’s a dead end for the bush. 

The clean energy transition is the biggest regional development opportunity in a generation.  

A 2024 report from Farmers for Climate Action found farmers would gain over $1 billion in direct payments from wind and solar projects by 2030. That’s badly needed stable income that can help drought-proof farms and keep family businesses alive.  

Big picture, the numbers are staggering. Deloitte Access Economics estimates clean energy industries could generate more than $125 billion in economic activity in regional Australia by 2050, creating tens of thousands of new jobs in construction, operations, maintenance, and supply chains.  

Beyond the farm gate, renewable energy projects deliver billions in flow-on benefits with dozens of community funds popping up.  

These funds are locally governed, ensuring millions of dollars flow each year to local priorities like fixing the footy oval, building medical centres, expanding childcare or investing in training.  

There’s also something deeper here. Climate action is good for farmers, but it’s essential for nature and Australian farmers are some of the proudest nature lovers out there.  

As the climate heats up, our forests, rivers and reefs are all under threat. Done right, clean energy can help restore degraded areas, protect habitat and support the recovery of native species.  

So, it’s perplexing to see the Nationals, ‘the party of the bush,’ straining yet again for a fight on climate action.  

By doing so, they’re turning their backs on the mayors, farmers, business owners and parents around regional Australia who want jobs, investment and a safer climate.  

Abandoning net zero would rip billions out of the bush and kneecap the economic future of hundreds of country towns. 

Poll after poll shows the majority of people in regional Australia support renewable energy. They see the benefits firsthand. In many places, renewable energy projects are already the biggest employers, the biggest ratepayers and the best hope for keeping young people in town. 

Of course, this support isn’t unconditional. It depends on making sure the benefits are shared, projects are well planned and nature is protected.  

Communities want a fair go. They want consultation, not imposition. They want clean energy that adds to their quality of life, not undermines it.  

That’s the deal. Walk away from net zero and you walk away from that deal – and from the billions that already flow to the bush. 

Jack Redpath is the Australian Conservation Foundation’s nature and renewables campaigner