The Opposition has set its sights on a fresh target: Chris Bowen, whom they’ve dubbed the ‘part-time Energy Minister.’ This label comes amid a broader political struggle.
Bowen was notably absent from Monday’s Question Time, as he was returning from the COP30 climate summit. During this event, it was announced that Bowen will serve as the chief negotiator for the upcoming COP in Türkiye next year.
Despite his physical absence from the House of Representatives, Bowen was a key topic for Liberal leader Sussan Ley, who aimed several criticisms at him.
“Australians have a part-time Energy Minister delivering a part-time energy grid,” Ley asserted.
“This part-time Energy Minister, full-time President is absent from Parliament today, prioritizing global summits over reducing power prices for Australians,” she continued.
Bowen’s upcoming responsibility emerged after Australia bid for Adelaide to host the 2026 UN climate conference. However, Türkiye declined to retract its competing proposal.
Under UN rules, the deadlock risked sending the event to Bonn, Germany, without a president in place.
To break the impasse, Australia agreed to let Türkiye host COP31 while Bowen takes on a powerful role as President for Negotiations.
Chris Bowen (pictured) was absent from Parliament on Monday after travelling from COP30
It is a demanding position which gives him authority to manage talks, appoint facilitators, prepare draft texts, and issue the final cover decision at next year’s summit.
‘Obviously it would be great if Australia could have it all. But we can’t have it all,’ Bowen said in Belém.
‘This process works on consensus.’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed the outcome as an ‘outstanding result’, saying it keeps Australia at the centre of global climate action and ensures Pacific nations remain involved through a pre-COP meeting in the region.
Albanese defended Bowen on Monday, accusing the Opposition of talking down ‘when Australians succeed.’
‘We on this side don’t do that. We on this side back Australia. Back Australia is what we do,’ he said.
While hosting COP31 in Adelaide was projected to cost taxpayers $1billion to $2billion, the bid process alone is still expected to cost around $7million.
Although that larger expense has been avoided, Bowen’s new role will require significant travel over the next year, including trips to the Pacific and Türkiye for preparatory negotiations.
Opposition MPs seized on Bowen’s absence, heckling ‘Where’s the President?’ during Question Time and pressing the government on power prices, referencing Albanese’s 2022 election pledge to reduce power bills by $275.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers pushed back, criticising the Coalition for abandoning its previous net-zero commitment in favour of an ‘energy agnostic’ policy.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) defended Bowen, welcoming his appointment as COP President
Sussan Ley (pictured) said Bowen was a ‘part-time energy minister’ after missing parliament
‘As the Treasury and others have made very clear, if we want to see downward motion on electricity prices the best way to do that is an orderly transition to net-zero,’ Chalmers said.
He accused the Opposition of creating ‘market uncertainty’ for investors.
‘If those opposite really cared about power prices for Australians, they would support our efforts to introduce that cleaner and cheaper energy,’ Chalmers said.
‘They couldn’t give a toss about electricity prices for Australia, all they care about is the internal politics of the inner Coalition rooms.’
The Opposition says its approach prioritises affordability and reliability over emissions targets, arguing that Australia should focus on ‘technology-neutral’ solutions, including gas, nuclear, and renewables, rather than what it calls Labor’s ‘ideological obsession’ with net-zero.
Ley’s attack comes as she faces mounting pressure herself.
Recent polling shows her approval ratings at record lows, fuelling speculation about her future as leader.
