Transcript - Doorstop (net zero) - 13 November 2025

Melissa McIntosh MP 
Shadow Minister for Communications 
Shadow Minister for Women 
Federal Member for Lindsay 

13 November 2025 

Transcript 

Doorstop – Parliament House, ACT

Topics: Net zero.   

E&EO … 

Melissa McIntosh

I'll just say a couple of words because we have a Shadow Ministry meeting this morning.

I went into the party room yesterday really strong in my conviction on behalf of my community when it comes to dropping net zero and it was never about, you know, anti-climate or anti-environment, it was pro-reality. And people in the suburbs, it's literally survival in the suburbs. They're dying under the pressure of the Albanese Labor Government's missed targets when it comes to emissions reduction. And they want us to have a different path for them and their families for the future, and that's where I think we all land today. We talked about our role on the international stage when it comes to emissions reduction and climate, but we also talked about the need for affordable energy.

When I surveyed my community, affordability in energy was their number one issue. So, our policies for the future will have to evolve, ensuring that we are addressing high power prices that are killing businesses, killing manufacturers in this country that should be reducing Aussie Made protecting our nation's sovereign manufacturing. We also need to look to the future.

In Western Sydney, we have the opportunity to have data centres where we can support our nation's, our people's, data here in this country. But right now, that's connected to the local energy grid and that's not sustainable in the future. So, we'll need to set a policy that's short, medium and long term. And after yesterday's meeting, which was very productive, very collegiate you want to have their say, we'll go into the Shadow Ministry meeting shortly and come out with a policy, but I won't be releasing on that policy right now.

Journalist

Do you think dumping net zero is electorally advantageous?

McIntosh

It's going to be up to us if that's what we decide after this Shadow Ministry meeting, to let the Australian people know why we've made the decision that. Of course people will be questioning our decisions, but for me, I went in strong with conviction on behalf of my community because I know that they can't stand much more. When people are living rough on the streets of your high street, when they're lining up at food banks, when small businesses are closing their door at a rapid rate, you can't keep going the same way you're going.

Journalist

Sure, but do you think it will help you to win back votes? Is it going to be advantageous with electorates?

McIntosh

It's not about winning back votes, though.

Journalist

Isn’t it?

McIntosh

It's around visiting Australians and creating a better life for them in their future. And if they want to vote for us and they can see we're creating a better path, well, that's the ultimate outcome, of course, we want to return to government.

Journalist

How will you demonstrate to voters that you are serious about reducing greenhouse emissions?

McIntosh

Yeah, that's going to be a very important step for leadership and …

Journalist

Excuse me, sorry …

McIntosh

Sorry, could you just ask me your question again?

Journalist

How will you demonstrate to voters that you are serious about reducing emissions if you abandon net zero?

McIntosh

It's going to be an important step for us and for leadership to be showing Australians that we're taking that seriously. And no one stood up in party room yesterday and said that they want us out of Paris.

Journalist

But if there's no target - if there's no emissions target, how do you demonstrate to voters that you are serious?

McIntosh

Well, we are very serious …

Journalist

How does that …

McIntosh

We all - and it will be up to us to articulate how serious we are to the Australian people. But yesterday was about everyone in the party room having a say. We will discuss where we land today in the Shadow Ministry and then we will have a very big job ahead to let the Australian people know.

Journalist

You talked a lot about Labor's policies and how they impact your community economically. But Western Sydney is also one of the most vulnerable areas of the country when it comes to climate change. Heat waves, bushfires, floods, that kind of thing. I mean, they said your community, you polled them, and they said that they were anti net-zero now. But are you worried that when the heat waves come later in Summer they might change their opinion?

McIntosh

I think people who live in my patch are very aware of the climate that we live in and the environment we live in. They want to do the right thing. They've been putting in solar panels on their roofs. Around 50% of people surveyed and I surveyed - returned around 1,600 responses, said that they do that, but they can't afford the batteries. Only 14% have batteries because it's just so unaffordable. So, this is not about being anti-climate, it's not about being anti-environment. It's about being pro-Australian. I'll probably take just a couple more because I'm going to get ready for Shadow Ministry.

Journalist

Do you think voters will see it this way? I mean, it looks like the party's walking away from climate action.

McIntosh

We are certainly not walking away from climate action, but it will be up to us to argue …

Journalist

But you don't want to do anything about the climate action. You don't want to take any action.

McIntosh

To articulate to the Australian people, why we're making this decision, and that's not a correct assumption.

Journalist

What actions are you wanting to take to reduce climate emissions?

McIntosh

That will be - we want to prioritise affordability first in our energy grid and we want to ensure that Australians aren't suffering the way they are suffering.

Journalist

Australia's biggest industries, including industry groups representing energy producers Minerals Council Australia, Business Council Australia, Australian Industry Group of manufacturing are all for years being committed to net zero have they got it wrong? What do you know that they don't?

McIntosh

I know that they're suffering. So, I actually go out to the manufacturers …

Journalist

Why do they remain committed though?

McIntosh

And I speak to them, and they say that they could have all the solar panels in the world on their roofs but they can't power heavy industry …

Journalist

But, with respect what's the answer to my question?

McIntosh

And when they're talking to me that they say they want us to put more gas in the system ...

Journalist

Why do they remain committed to net zero?

McIntosh

To power the future. Well, that's – that’ll be up to us to be speaking to industry and for Sussan's role to take leadership …

Journalist

Shouldn’t you have spoken to them before?

McIntosh

We'll have more to say about that after our Shadow Ministry meeting which I'm going to get to. Thanks everyone.

Journalist

Have you not spoken to those groups as part of these discussions?

McIntosh

That’s Dan’s portfolio, so it would be a good question for him.