One Nation has announced a new energy policy that prioritizes increased gas exploration, opposes major renewable projects, and advocates for the repeal of nuclear energy bans. The policy was launched in Victoria by federal leader Pauline Hanson and Victorian leader Warren Pickering at the Loy Yang power station site.
The party aims to extend the operational life of the Loy Yang facility beyond its scheduled 2035 closure, suggesting private investment could play a role. Loy Yang currently supplies 30% of Victoria's electricity.
Pickering stated that One Nation would abolish both the Western Renewable Energy Zone and the Coastal Renewable Energy Zone, describing them as "ideologically driven nonsense." Instead, the party intends to focus on expanding domestic gas production, asserting that exploration drilling in the Gippsland and Otway basins is five years behind schedule.
One Nation also plans to revoke VicGrid's compulsory acquisition powers, which allow the authority to obtain property for renewable energy transmission projects. The policy package includes support for offshore gas exploration, new investment in coal-fired power, and a push to overturn Victoria's 1983 ban on nuclear energy. Loy Yang had previously been identified as a potential site for nuclear energy by the Coalition.
During a rally in Marnoo, Hanson also vowed to dismantle the proposed VNI West transmission network and overturn fines imposed on farmers who denied government planners access to their properties. She stated that landowners have a right to protect their properties and deserve "a fair go."
One Nation indicated that more detailed policy plans will be released in the coming weeks as the party seeks to gain support in regional Victoria ahead of the November state election.