Origin hires retiring National Party MP to help “thread the needle” of shift to renewables

Australia’s biggest energy utility has named the retiring National Party state member for the New South Wales Northern Tablelands, Adam Marshall, as its new senior government relations manager.

Marshall’s appointment comes as Origin prepares to develop a number of large scale renewable projects, including several in the New England region which Marshall has represented.

Origin Energy has also bought a 7690-hectare sheep and beef property in the region as a prospective greenfield wind development opportunity, and in February bought two wind and solar projects near the town of Walcha that it also wants to develop. It has also bought the 1.5 GW Yanco Delta wind project in the south-west of the state.

However, there is fierce opposition from some in the local community against new renewable projects, led by the former leader of the National Party and dedicated ant-renewables campaigner Barnaby Joyce, who represents the federal seat of New England that overlaps Marshall’s former state seat.

The Nationals, and its federal leader David Littleproud, have vowed to try and stop the roll out of new wind, solar and battery projects, as well as transmission lines, and want to keep coal fired power stations until nuclear power technology is available in Australia, although the federal Coalition has already delayed releasing the details of its nuclear policy.

Marshall announced his “shock decision” to quit politics in April, triggering a by-election in the seat. In contrast to Joyce, Marshall was appointed as parliamentary secretary for renewables in 2016 as part of the highly progressive energy department of Matt Kean, broadly regarded as one of the leaders of state renewables policy.

In opposition, as Renew Economy has reported, the Nationals MP has shown an uncanny ability to walk the fine line between climate science, energy reality and Nationals ideology.

Last year he called out the massive contradiction of having the NSW Labor government scampering to keep up with the transition and the need to build new wind, solar and storage to replace coal, while at the same time erecting massive barriers.

“The Planning Department declares us ‘less suitable’ for wind projects while at the same time the government’s Energy Corporation is working to expend hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars constructing new high voltage transmission lines across our region for new projects to connect to,” Marshall said in November, in reference to draft guidelines for wind energy development.

“Threading the needle to ensure a smooth energy transition, developing new renewables in harmony with our local communities, is difficult enough without this sort of carry on which shatters any confidence we had in the key government agencies,” he wrote on his website.

“Either we have renewable energy zones where these projects are supposed to go or we have a planning system that is now attempting to rule them all out – we cannot have both and this government needs to work out what it’s doing and fast.”

Marshall, who officially retires from office on May 13 to start with Origin on May 15, has said that the decision to end his political career was not made lightly, but was one he was “now very comfortable with.”

“This is a demanding and all-consuming role to do properly and it inevitably takes its toll,” he said.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that despite absolutely loving our region, its people and my role as a local state MP, I cannot put this move off any longer.”

He takes up a role advising Origin on state policy at a key time for the gentailer, which is currently negotiating with the NSW Labor government over whether to close its Eraring coal power plant on time in August 2025 or keep it open longer while more renewables and firming capacity are built.

“We are very pleased to have someone of Adam’s experience, standing and reputation joining Origin at a critically important time as we look to develop a number of strategically important renewable development assets across NSW working in consultation with stakeholders throughout the community,” an Origin spokesperson told RenewEconomy on Wednesday.

“Origin has a significant presence in NSW with operational generation assets including the country’s largest power station at Eraring and over 1.5 million customer accounts, and we are making good progress growing a portfolio of renewable and storage projects across the state.

“These projects will provide the opportunity to bring a material volume of renewable energy supply into the market relatively quickly to help meet the needs of our customers.”