Across The Fifth Estate’s key areas of concern, there are clear differences between what the three major political parties are offering voters.
The Australian Labor Party is focused on continuing to build on the work of the past three years; the Coalition (Liberals and Nationals) are singing from the fossil fuel sector songbook; and the Greens offer big ideas but not always enough detail.
Energy
Liberals-Nationals: The centrepiece of energy policy is ramping up domestic gas production, introducing nuclear energy and scrapping the Rewiring the Nation transmission infrastructure upgrades. Renewables will not be a major focus, with policy settings targeting 54 per cent of baseload coming from renewables by 2050, 38 per cent of baseload from nuclear and the residual from firming capacity in the form of hydro, batteries and gas.
ALP: A target of about 94 per cent renewables for grid baseload by 2050, with balance from firming capacity such as hydro, batteries and gas. Continued funding of $20 billion for the Rewiring the Nation project, which is supporting grid integration of utility-scale renewables.
Greens: 100 per cent renewable grid “ASAP”.
- See more in this useful reading from Herbert Smith Freehills and the Australian Energy Council.
Energy efficiency and electrification
ALP: $2.3 billion battery subsidy for households to reduce upfront costs by $4000; an additional $500 million over four years from 2025/26 for upgrades to social housing insulation, solar PV installation and electrical appliances upgrades. Policy and investments to support industrial electrification. $20 million for the new National Training Centre in New Energy Skills in Melbourne in partnership with the Victorian state government and the union-backed Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC), each of which is kicking in $10 million.
Greens: supported/advocated for the ALP social housing upgrade program. Promising grants and low-interest loans to help households and small businesses electrify and install batteries, investments in the electrification of manufacturing and investments in low carbon fuels.
Liberal-Nationals: freeze the National Construction Code for 10 years, no major policy announcements around energy efficiency initiatives, will probably scrap battery subsidy.
- See more in this UNSW analysis
Electric Vehicles
ALP: New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is now in force, aiming to incentivise car manufacturers and dealers to offer larger numbers of EVS and hybrids in their fleets to reduce the NVES payable for high emissions vehicles. Also, will continue a Fringe Benefits Tax exemption for EVS that are provided by an employer, whether via company-owned fleet, novated lease or employee salary sacrifice vehicle purchase.
Liberals-Nationals: will scrap the NVES but possibly retain fringe benefit tax exemption for EVs; increase support for combustion engines with 12-month 25 per cent reduction to petrol levy paid by motorists in the at-pump price.
Greens: no new major policy promise for EVs, however, propose expanding public transport in major cities, along with increased investment in active travel in major cities and making public transport fares 50 cents per trip.
- Read more about the NVES here.
Climate Change mitigation and adaptation
Liberal-National: scrap current Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) of 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 target, no 2035 target, retain 2050 net zero target, but no solid plan to get there. Will not host COP 31, offers no policies for resilience or adaptation, and no clarity on policies around insurance and climate risk.
ALP: retain 43 per cent by 2030 NDC and set new 2035 target, policies and investment in place to progress to 2050 net zero target. Bid to host COP 31 in Australia in partnership with Pacific Island nations’ neighbours. Progress national climate adaptation and resilience strategies, disaster funding and National Climate Risk Assessment.
Greens: target of 75 per cent emissions reductions by 2030 and national net zero by 2035. Polluters to fund insurance reforms to meet the increased burden of disaster payouts, support for a national disaster risk map.
- Read more in the Climate Council scorecard for the three major parties here
Social and affordable housing
Liberal-National: scrap the Housing Australia Future Fund and redeploy the money to funding schemes for first home buyers to use their own super for deposits and tax deduction of interest from mortgage for five years from personal income tax. No specific policies for social and affordable rental housing stock increases.
ALP: continue funding the HAFF to deliver social and affordable housing, first round of successful projects announced in March 2025, details here. A pledge of $1.2 billion for building more crisis and transitional accommodation.
Greens: establish federal government property developer entity to deliver 610,000 affordable homes over 10 years, 30 per cent for sale at construction-cost plus a small margin for first home buyers, 70 per cent to be retained as social/affordable dwellings.
- Read more about housing policy and promises in this analysis from Hal Pawson at UNSW.
Environment and natural resources
Liberals-Nationals: it’s attack mode – defund the Environmental Defenders Office, scrap any plans for a national Environment Protection Agency, scrap the Nature Positive Roadmap, open up renewables subsidy programs to gas, incentivise/subsidise expanded mining and gas exploration, map entire nation for mineral resources, oppose any further bans on native forest logging and establish Permanent Timber Production Zones, oppose any tightening of general environment protection laws.
ALP: establish independent national Environment Protection Agency (EPA), $250 million to protect additional 30 million hectares of land, protect native species and eliminate invasive species, legislation to ensure Environment Information Australia houses credible, verified information, ratify the international Global Ocean Treaty and protect at least 30 per cent of oceans in protected areas, continue to advance Environmental Accounts for Australia, Nature Positive Roadmap and revisions to EPB&C Act.
Greens: increase “funding for nature” to one per cent of federal budget annually, reform national nature laws to end native forest logging, a moratorium on bulldozing of koala habitat, initiate a “climate trigger” for mines and developments to assess climate impacts of proposal, make disclosure of nature impacts mandatory for companies.
- Read more about where the parties stand on nature and the environment in the WWF pre-election survey results here and the Greenpeace analysis here
Science/innovation
Liberals-Nationals: have not disclosed any significant policies or promises outside of support for nuclear, mining and gas sectors. Will end free TAFE but pledged $25 million for 12 new “technical colleges” that will be an alternative to mainstream high school for students in years 10-12. (Last we looked we’ve not seen a new public school built, staffed and equipped for around $2 million in recent years, so this promise seems a little unrealistic.)
ALP: continuing to prioritise funding for CSIRO, CRCs and ARCs, deliver National Science Statement and National Science and Research Priorities, which incorporate Indigenous Knowledge Systems as an integral element. An additional $750 million to support innovation in metals manufacturing (such as low emissions technologies and pilot projects in green metals production) within the broader $1.7 billion Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund.
Greens: $4.3 million to establish an independent Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, modelled on the UK’s system, $2 billion over nine years for CSIRO and other national science organisations; programs to support diversity in STEM and secure work for researchers in universities.
- Read more in the Science and Technology Australia survey of major parties
First Nations affairs, foreign affairs, grocery price gouging, and so forth – read this useful Policy Tracker in The Conversation