Today in Parliament, Abigail contributed to a debate on renewable energy infrastructure condemning the Labor and Liberal governments for privatising NSW's electricity market and leaving us at the mercy of the private sector for our energy needs.

Abigail said:

Privatisation of the electricity market in New South Wales has clearly failed. As we act to rapidly decarbonise our economy, we have an opportunity to not only act to curb runaway climate change but also take back control over our power supply and ensure that we are never again at the mercy of the private market for our energy needs. By phasing out coal and gas power plants, investing in offshore and onshore wind, solar and energy storage, and updating the electricity grid, we can repower our economy and society with clean energy. By shifting to renewable energy and electrifying everything, we not only drive carbon pollution to zero; we can also lower home energy bills and industry costs while creating jobs around the country.

But we need to learn from the mistakes of the past and never again be at the mercy of the private sector for our energy needs. Electricity is an essential service. But Labor and Liberal governments have sold off New South Wales energy assets and infrastructure, leaving us at the mercy of the private sector for our energy needs. Right now, we are getting ripped off. The result has been soaring energy bills, with more and more people being forced into energy poverty. It is time to take the power back. We can do that with a publicly owned electricity retailer to drive down prices, and by purchasing wholesale from publicly owned generators.

A public retailer can offer electricity prices without the excess charges or inflated margins demanded by major energy companies. Publicly owned generation can deliver subsidised power for our manufacturing and metals smelting businesses, rather than relying on ad hoc rescue packages—as we have seen over the past few years. The Government could build, own and operate renewable power projects, support local heavy and medium industries and, in turn, drive down power bills for households. That is what The Greens are fighting for. Anyone who wrings their hands about privatisation in the past and does not do anything about nationalisation now and in the future is just posturing. I urge all members to support my amendment to this motion. I move:

That the question be amended by inserting at the end the following new paragraphs:

(5) That this House notes that the energy system is a critical social infrastructure that underpins the entire economy and should never have been privatised, and that to continue relying solely on private investment in renewable energy is a perpetuation of the privatisation of our energy system.

(6) That this House calls on the New South Wales Labor Government to make direct public investment in renewable energy generation to drive down energy prices by offering wholesale electricity prices to New South Wales consumers.

I indicate that I do not support any of the other amendments that have been moved so far. I reserve my opinion on any other amendments that may be moved in the course of the remaining debate.

Abigail's proposed amendment was negatived.

Read the full debate in Hansard here.

3 June 2026