The NSW Nationals will oppose Labor’s rushed attempt to remove independent oversight, increase Ministerial powers, and bypass effective community consultation on renewable energy projects in regional NSW, with the views of farmers and other stakeholders already being ignored by the Minns Labor Government.
Energy company CEOs and industry bodies have consistently identified community trust and social license as the single greatest determinant of whether renewable energy projects are delivered on time, on budget, or at all.
The Energy Legislation Amendment (Prioritising Renewable Energy) Bill 2026 is a reckless concentration of unchecked Ministerial power with no legislated criteria, no requirement for independent expert advice and no obligation to publish reasons.
NSW Nationals Leader Gurmesh Singh said the government’s own review asked for more community voice, not less.
“Requiring a response to highly technical documents within weeks has already created a situation where time-poor landholders feel pitted against large developers,” Mr Singh said.
“Projects built without meaningful community involvement don’t get built faster, they are tied up in courts and conflict for years and we can’t have long-term gridlock.”
“Communities are right to ask whose side is the Minns Labor Government on?”
Shadow Energy Minister James Griffin said the renewable energy transition is too important to take shortcuts.
“NSW needs a renewable energy transition that works and cutting corners on community consultation isn’t a shortcut, it’s a detour,” Mr Griffin said,
“You can’t build the energy infrastructure this state needs on a foundation of communities that feel steamrolled. Industry knows this. The government’s own reviews know this. This legislation pretends otherwise.”
“The Coalition is not opposing the energy transition. It is opposing legislation that is badly designed, unsupported by independent expert advice, and that concentrates power in ways this Parliament should not accept.”
The delays identified by both independent reviews can be fixed through clearer institutional responsibilities, earlier and better community engagement processes, and stronger coordination between EnergyCo and planning authorities.
NSW Farmers Energy Taskforce Chair Reg Kidd said the state’s race to renewables has always ignored the genuine concerns and impacts for rural and regional communities.
“We need to get the settings and the processes right before we hit the accelerator,” Mr Kidd said.
“Making poor decisions quickly doesn’t do anyone any good.”
“NSW Farmers understands the need to build more power generation, but we must see the right thing in the right place, done in the right way, to minimise negative impacts.”
