Energy Minister Chris Bowen has lashed out at a high-profile journalist during a fiery press conference, telling him to ‘sit down’ while being grilled over the government’s renewable energy policy.
The confrontation began when Channel Seven journalist Liam Bartlett interrupted the minister’s daily press conference on the fuel crisis to accuse the Albanese government of refusing to shift its renewables agenda despite global instability and Australia’s reliance on fossil fuels.
‘Hasn’t this war shown us that your obsession with renewables will only lead us down the track to another energy crisis?’ Bartlett asked.
Bowen immediately pushed back.
‘That’s a pretty loaded – that’s a comment, not a question – I reject the premise of your question.’
The minister defended the government’s renewable strategy, arguing it offered greater long-term security.
‘Renewable energy is secure. The Australian sun cannot be interrupted by a war or anything else,’ Bowen said.
‘Solar energy has to travel 150 million kilometres from the sun. It doesn’t have to travel the 150km of the Strait of Hormuz.’
Bartlett continued to interject, accusing the government of ‘playing catch-up’ during the unfolding crisis.
Bowen hit back, insisting supply lines remained intact.
‘That’s why I’m able to say not a single ship that has been expected to arrive in Australia has been interrupted,’ he said.
The clash escalated when the journalist questioned whether Bowen should resign.
‘I’ve been trying to ask you questions since January… Why can’t you sit down and answer open, honest questions?’ he said.
Bowen continued to accuse the reporter of disrupting the press conference.
‘I’ve held a press conference every day. This is the first press conference you’ve been to,’ he said.
‘I think you need to show a bit more respect to your colleagues.’
The tension boiled over when Bartlett accused the minister of hypocrisy.
‘Your focus has been wholly and solely spending billions of dollars we haven’t got on questionable green infrastructure… You’re totally hypocritical on this, Minister,’ he said.
‘That’s a comment, not a question,’ Bowen replied, before telling him to sit down and accused him of grandstanding.
‘What are you scared of?’ Bartlett fired back.
‘I hold a press conference every day. This is the first time you’ve turned up,’ Bowen said.
Despite the interruption, Bowen used the exchange to double down on the government’s energy transition.
‘Net zero and climate action are unquestionably in Australia’s economic best interests,’ he said.
He also defended the pace of the rollout, saying Australia was ‘absolutely blitzing it’ on renewables, with more batteries being added to the grid than any other country on a proportional basis.