In this interview Mia Schlicht appeared on 2SM Mornings with Chris Smith to discuss the IPA’s research on Net Zero.
All media appearances posted onto the IPA website are directly related to the promotion and dissemination of IPA research.
Below is a transcript of the interview.
Chris Smith:
Well, we’re consistently told by government that renewable power is the cheapest form of energy. But of course, as I’ve explained a thousand times here, it is a lie and the renewable industry can’t survive without monstrous subsidies and other laws forcing it to be used. The Institute of Public Affairs has done a lot of work on this, and analyst Mia Schlicht, from the IPA, is on the line. Mia, thank you very much for your time.
Mia Schlicht:
Thanks for having me, Chris.
Chris Smith:
It’s hard to understand all the rules and requirements, but some of them are making the price go up artificially, like the renewable mandate to electricity supplies. Explain that to us.
Mia Schlicht:
Well, that’s exactly right. So the IPA has conducted new research, which has looked at how Australians are being forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars each year to prop up renewable energy power stations, like wind and solar farms. It’s a complicated scheme and it’s complicated on purpose. But basically how it works is the government requires electricity retailers to purchase certificates from renewable energy power stations, and this increases the cost of electricity. And at the end of the day, the electricity retailers aren’t the ones who are going to wear that, so they pass that onto us, the consumers. And we pay that extra charge on our household bills.
Chris Smith:
And they pay it originally to the government, which subsidises the subsidies. Am I right?
Mia Schlicht:
So what happens is is these wind and solar farms, they sell their power to the market, but then on top of that, they generate their own certificates and that’s what the electricity retailers purchase off them. And then those certificates, they’re surrendered to the government.
Chris Smith:
So who owns the sources of renewable energy? Who’s getting this wind for from a mandate?
Mia Schlicht:
Well, that’s interesting. So if you look at the calendar year of 2024, a total of $1.7 billion was paid to the 50 largest solar and wind farms. But interestingly, 70% of those solar and wind farms were foreign owned, and that meant $1.2 billion was taken out of the pockets of electricity consumers here in Australia and was given to line the pockets of those companies overseas. So it’s just outrageous that while Australians are struggling with a cost of living crisis, and electricity prices continue to soar through the roof, those extra subsidies are benefiting companies overseas.
Chris Smith:
Yeah, yeah. Chris Bowen, the climate czar, says Australia was on track to meet its 2030 target of net zero, despite figures this week showing flatlining progress. But he says we might need carbon tariffs introduced to help, otherwise known as carbon tax. This is a carbon credit scheme by stealth, right?
Mia Schlicht:
Yeah, absolutely, Chris. It’s not even a scheme by stealth. Anything that adds to the cost of goods and services in the name of carbon reductions is a carbon tax, and this is just ideology gone crazy. It’s bad enough that we have things like red tape and taxes in the name of saving the environment, which is killing industry here in Australia and destroying jobs, but now we’re being told that on top of this we have to pay for emissions in another country.
Chris Smith:
I think it might be time to get a whole heap of buses and head down to Canberra off the back of all of that. Now I want to play you something. I want to play you something from the New South Wales Health Department’s Deputy Secretary. His name is Matthew Daly. Have a listen carefully at how the health department of the government is so focused on net zero.
Matthew Daly:
New South Wales Health recognises our responsibility as the highest emitter across all of New South Wales government to reduce our carbon footprint. We’re excited about the opportunity and privilege to have the leadership responsibility to transition to a high-quality, low-carbon health system, fit for purpose in what will be a low-carbon world. We’re working on 18 emission sources that make up 80% of New South Wales Health’s carbon footprint. All New South Wales Health staff from anaesthetists to cleaning staff have a role to play in our net zero transition. Read New South Wales Health’s first net zero roadmap to find out more.
Chris Smith:
That to me is gobsmacking. So they’ll do what they can with the budget they have to achieve net zero, which I would’ve thought will cost more. So the money that we throw from taxpayers into health will be gobbled up in cost to reduce carbon emissions. And they’ll obviously have to go without certain services because they might be emitting too much CO2. I’d much rather my health department focus on saving my life.
Mia Schlicht:
Yeah, that’s exactly right, Chris. And I think it was mentioned in that clip that we are living in a low-carbon world and Chris Bowen said something similar. He said it was time for Australia to join the decarbonizing world. If they think we’re living in a decarbonizing world, they are absolutely dreaming. I mean, the emissions that Australia emits in one year is what China produces in 16 days.
Chris Smith:
Say that again. Say that again so everyone can absorb that. Say that again.
Mia Schlicht:
So the emissions that Australia emits in one year is what China produces in just 16 days. We are not living in a decarbonizing world. These taxes and these subsidies, they’re hurting Australians and everyone listening right now is paying for it. You’ll feel it at the supermarket. You’ll feel it when you go to buy and build your houses, and you’ll feel it through missed job opportunities. I mean, I’ve just spoken about the $1.7 billion tax that you’re paying on your electricity bills, now the government wants a new carbon tax. Just where does this end? Australians cannot keep absorbing the costs of these environmental schemes because it’s politically convenient for Labor.
Chris Smith:
Correct. Mia, thank you very much for your time. You’ve been very informative. I won’t mix up the minds of people who are listening because that’s just enough information for us to understand the con that’s going on at the moment. Thank you for your time.
Mia Schlicht:
Thank you so much for having me.
Chris Smith:
All right. Analyst from Institute of Public Affairs, Mia Schlicht. The amount of carbon emissions that we emit over a year is what China emits in 16 days. Why are we even bothering? What a waste of time. What a waste of our wealth. What a waste of our focus and priority. Our yearly emissions are equaled with the emissions over 16 days from China. That just sums it up. That puts it in a quantity that makes a laughing stock out of net zero.
This transcript of Mia Schlicht speaking on 2SM Mornings with Chris Smith from 3 June 2025 has been edited for clarity.
