Dawson MP Andrew Willcox appointed to Coalition working group focused on energy policy

A Federal Coalition MP picked for the group set to define its energy policy said he ‘isn’t the climate change minister’ when asked to explain how it works.

Andrew Willcox will join a dedicated working group to develop policy for energy.

A federal MP has offered his take on climate change, nuclear power, and net zero goals after being appointed to a new Coalition working group focused on energy and emissions policy.

LNP member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox, who sits with the National Party, was asked by this masthead to give a simple explanation of climate change for any of his constituents that may not understand it.

“Well, I’m actually not the climate change minister, but I believe my version of climate change is when seasons change,” he said.

Mr Willcox was also asked if he thinks it’s important to have a basic knowledge of climate change given the energy sector accounts for 30 per cent of Australia’s total emissions.

“Look, I think you should always take the environment into consideration when you’re doing things, but everything’s got to be balanced with the economy as well,” he said.

“A business, a household, it’s impossible to be green when you’re in the red.”
Mr Willcox, a third-generation tomato farmer before entering politics, was also asked if a hotter climate would have a negative impact on farmers.

“I think that farmers adapt to what’s happening, you change your varieties all the time, whether it be a cane farmer or a tomato farmer or something like that, you change your varieties so if indeed it does change, then they can then change and adapt with that as well,” he said.

Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox said he was focused on delivering affordable, reliable power. Photo: Contributed

He said he would focus on delivering affordable, reliable power while reducing costs, with nothing off the table in terms of energy sources, adding nuclear power would provide “no emission technology” into the grid.

“I’m prepared to have coal, gas, hydro, nuclear, solar, wind – in the right place,” he said.

Mr Willcox said the cost-of-living crisis was the biggest issue facing Australians today and something he would seek to address though energy policy.

“Everyone’s doing it really, really tough and central to that is energy costs,” he said.

“Individual houses and businesses are paying a hell of a lot more for their electricity.”

He said the rising power costs were flowing through the economy, with businesses passing on increased costs to consumers.

“I want the cheapest electron, the cheapest power prices, to be able to be delivered for housing, businesses and industry,” he said.

He said he favoured upgrading existing coal-fired power stations for efficiency during the transition period before nuclear power could be operational.

Nuclear plants would ideally be built on the same sites as retiring coal stations to take advantage of existing power lines and avoid wiping vegetation, he added.

Mr Willcox was supportive of wind and solar being a part of the energy mix but said it was important it didn’t take away valuable agricultural land. Picture: Steven Nowakowksi

He also supported wind and solar power being in the mix but had “concerns” about their placement, opposing large-scale solar on agricultural land that could produce food and fibre and wind turbines on hilltops that could cause erosion and run-off affecting the Great Barrier Reef.

He described wind and solar as “intermittent” and “unreliable” even with backup storage in place.

“You can’t run a full time economy on part time power,” he said.

The working group would review the net zero by 2050 target, with Mr Willcox stating as much as he did support looking after the environment, he also supported looking after the economy.

“I’m not supportive of a net zero at any cost because Australia just can’t afford that,” he said.