This bill did not become law and is no longer proceeding.
Climate, energy & environment
The bill would set up a new National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. to lead Australia's shift to clean energy and support workers and communities affected by that change.
Australia’s shift away from fossil fuels was already hurting workers and regional communities, and a lack of national coordination, leadership and funding left a clear gap in managing the transition. The bill creates a National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. to coordinate planning, review laws, publish advice, and support replacement jobs, investment and services.
As Australia's energy system was already shifting away from fossil fuels, workers and regional communities tied to coal mining and coal-fired power faced job losses and economic disruption, while the bill's backers argued there was no single national body to coordinate the change. The bill, introduced in September 2022, proposed a statutory authorityA government body created by law with its own powers and duties, rather than just a normal department. to plan the transition and support affected regions, and although it later lapsed, the broader policy idea also appeared in the Albanese government's 2023 national net zero authorityThe later government body mentioned in the page as the broader follow-up to this bill's idea, meant to help manage the move to net zero emissions. announcement.
The main criticism was not of helping workers, but of whether a new authority could realistically steer a very complex and expensive energy transition fast enough to avoid power reliability problems, rising costs and disorderly job losses. These concerns appeared mainly in public policy and business commentary rather than in parliamentary speeches, and no party represented in the debate is recorded as opposing the bill itself.
Senator Penny Allman-PayneThe senator who is described on the page as supporting the bill and arguing for a coordinated transition body. introduced this bill. Speeches supporting it came from Greens.
Did it become law?
No
The bill did not complete passage through Parliament.
Final passage
No final passage
The bill has not completed passage and is no longer proceeding.
Time before failure
1028 days
From introduction to the final recorded step before the bill stopped proceeding
Meaning
The bill would set up a new National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. to lead Australia's shift to clean energy and support workers and communities affected by that change.
The bill would require the National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. to review mining, energy and workplace laws, publish proposed changes, and give the minister draft law changes within 12 months.
The bill would make the National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. give and publish advice on renewable power choices, energy investment, workforce planning, support for affected towns, and replacing coal and gas exports.
The bill would let the National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. receive budget funding, borrow money, and use its assets as security to finance its work.
The bill would help coal mine and coal power station regions replace lost jobs and services by attracting new investment and social infrastructureCommunity assets like housing, transport, schools, health services and other supports that help a region cope with job losses. to those areas.
The National Energy Transition Authority Bill 2022 creates the National Energy Transition Authority as an independent statutory authority with the powers necessary to guide the energy transition and support workers and their communities.National Energy Transition Authority explanatory memorandum
11. This clause provides that the National Energy Transition Authority’s law reform functions are to review and propose changes to Commonwealth, State and Territory laws relating to mining, resources, industry policy, industrial relations, electricity generation and related matters, to consult with Commonwealth, State and Territory governments about the proposed changes, to recommend Commonwealth law changes to the Minister and to publish reviews and proposals on its website. This clause also:National Energy Transition Authority explanatory memorandum
12. This clause outlines that the National Energy Transition Authority will provide and publish advice to the Minister and Commonwealth, State and Local governments and relevant statutory or other government bodies engaged in transition work, including:National Energy Transition Authority explanatory memorandum
33. This clause provides that National Energy Transition Authority may give security over the whole or part of its assets for the performance by National Energy Transition Authority of any obligation under section 56 or 57 or the payment to the Commonwealth of amounts paid by the Commonwealth under a guarantee.National Energy Transition Authority explanatory memorandum
to support communities and workers affected by the closure of coal-fired power stations and coal mines to adapt, including by helping to attract new public and private investment in job-creating industries and social infrastructure to affected areas, and ensuring ongoing equivalent employment or social services are provided;National Energy Transition Authority explanatory memorandum
Context
As Australia's energy system was already shifting away from fossil fuels, workers and regional communities tied to coal mining and coal-fired power faced job losses and economic disruption, while the bill's backers argued there was no single national body to coordinate the change. The bill, introduced in September 2022, proposed a statutory authorityA government body created by law with its own powers and duties, rather than just a normal department. to plan the transition and support affected regions, and although it later lapsed, the broader policy idea also appeared in the Albanese government's 2023 national net zero authorityThe later government body mentioned in the page as the broader follow-up to this bill's idea, meant to help manage the move to net zero emissions. announcement.
Second reading speech links the bill to climate and transition pressures
The second reading debateThe parliamentary stage where members argue for or against the bill's main idea before it is considered in detail. argued that worsening climate impacts and the upheaval of moving away from fossil fuels made national planning for affected regions more urgent.
Hansard ↗Bill introduced to create a National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions.
The bill was introduced to set up a statutory authorityA government body created by law with its own powers and duties, rather than just a normal department. to coordinate Australia’s shift to clean energy and support workers and communities affected by coal mine and coal power station closures.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Albanese government announces a national net zero authorityThe later government body mentioned in the page as the broader follow-up to this bill's idea, meant to help manage the move to net zero emissions.
The government said it would establish its own authority after months of calls for a more centralised approach to managing the economic transition away from fossil fuels.
Australian Financial Review ↗Greg CombetThe person mentioned as taking on the government's separate transition authority role after the bill was introduced. takes on the government’s transition authority role
Greg CombetThe person mentioned as taking on the government's separate transition authority role after the bill was introduced.’s appointment showed the government’s separate authority was moving from announcement to an organisation intended to manage decarbonisation and energy system change.
Australian Financial Review ↗The bill lapses at the end of Parliament
This specific bill did not pass before the Parliament ended, so its proposed National Energy Transition AuthorityThe proposed public body that would have coordinated the move away from coal and gas, advised governments, and supported affected workers and regions. was not created through this legislation.
Parliamentary timeline ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Referred to Committee (28/09/2022): Senate Economics Legislation Committee; Committee report (24/03/2023)
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesConsidered by scrutiny committee (26/10/2022): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2022
Considered by scrutiny committee
APH bill page notesThe bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
The main criticism was not of helping workers, but of whether a new authority could realistically steer a very complex and expensive energy transition fast enough to avoid power reliability problems, rising costs and disorderly job losses. These concerns appeared mainly in public policy and business commentary rather than in parliamentary speeches, and no party represented in the debate is recorded as opposing the bill itself.
Criticism was limited and mostly about delivery risk, cost and speed rather than the bill’s goal.
May not prevent a disorderly transition
Critics' concern was that creating a new national authority would not by itself make the transition orderly, because replacing coal and gas fast enough across multiple regions and industries could still prove extremely difficult. The worry was that the body might raise expectations it could manage closures and replacement industries smoothly when the scale and timing of change may be beyond any single agency to control.
Risk of higher costs and energy security problems
A broader reservation was that the energy transition would be extremely costly and needed careful planning to avoid rocketing electricity prices and threats to energy security. That makes the bill vulnerable to the criticism that it creates another institution without proving it can overcome the underlying investment, infrastructure and market problems driving those risks.
Votes
No recorded votes were found before this bill stopped proceeding.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Penny Allman-PayneThe senator who is described on the page as supporting the bill and arguing for a coordinated transition body. supports the bill, saying it is needed to create an independent authority that can plan the energy transition, protect workers and regional communities, and help build new clean-energy jobs.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
1 speaker · 1 support
“With planning, compassion and foresight, we can tackle the greatest threat humanity has ever faced while embracing new energy opportunities, looking after workers and breathing new life into regional Australia. But we need this Bill to do it.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Senate · Lapsed at end of Parliament
Lapsed at end of Parliament
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate Economics Legislation Committee; Committee report (24/03/2023)
Referred to committee
Referred to Committee (28 Sept 2022): Senate Economics Legislation Committee; Committee report (24 Mar 2023)
APH bill page notesSenate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2022
Considered by scrutiny committee
Considered by scrutiny committee (26 Oct 2022): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Scrutiny Digest 6 of 2022
APH bill page notes