FRESH CLIMATE COUNCIL ELECTORAL ANALYSIS shows Australian voters have delivered a strong mandate for the incoming Labor Government, with voters backing a renewable-powered future as nuclear bombs at the ballot.
The report examining Australia’s national vote shows the ALP’s two-party preferred vote increased in most seats where offshore wind debate raged, in spite of significant campaigns against the projects. Pro-climate independents also won more primary votes than in 2022, with an average 3.8 percent increase in contested seats, rendering the Coalition unelectable unless the party develops credible climate and energy policies.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “Voters have sent a resounding message: no party can expect to govern this country without a credible plan to cut climate pollution. Peter Dutton’s scheme to delay climate action with a nuclear fantasy was a major turn-off – particularly for women and undecided voters. Instead, in overwhelming numbers, people voted for Labor’s cleaner renewable-powered future backed by storage, including home batteries.”
“Climate denial and delay are now politically toxic in Australia. This is a lesson that the Coalition ought to have learned in 2022, when a record number of climate champions knocked out seven of their MPs. The 2025 election results show this is now a political norm: voters won’t consider you fit for government unless you have sensible policies that pass the climate barometer. Aussie voters expect, and deserve, much better than Trumpian attacks on science and climate denialism.”
Ms McKenzie said the new Parliament represented a new opportunity to build on the progress that was made during the last term on renewable energy and clean transport.
“This is history in the making. Voters have backed in a bright, clean energy future, and bestowed the ALP its biggest majority since World War II. History will remember what we do next. Now’s the time to go big on rolling out more renewable power and storage faster, and putting hard limits on climate pollution.”
“A big majority is a big opportunity to genuinely tackle the key issues of our time and leave a lasting legacy. Early tests of the Government’s mettle will be whether they reject massive fossil fuel projects and set a strong 2035 climate pollution reduction target.
Climate Council’s report also finds that, by the next election, Australia will likely be two-thirds powered with renewables, making our clean energy momentum virtually unstoppable.
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