Community Independent Kate Lockhart’s plan for clean energy and climate integrity

Commentary

A people-powered climate response: Kate Lockhart’s energy and integrity platform has been launched

In a matter of weeks, a quiet political revolution has taken root in the Corangamite electorate – the Bellarine Peninsula, Surf Coast and Geelong region. Kate Lockhart, who runs as a Community Independent, has launched a campaign that not only speaks to the urgent challenges of our time – particularly climate and energy – but also models a different way of doing politics: grounded in integrity, transparency, and service to community, not corporations.

Her campaign has grown rapidly, supported by a grassroots movement of volunteers and concerned citizens. It’s striking how quickly her policy platform has taken shape, and how substantive it already is. It’s not a media-managed set of slogans, but a living, evolving document shaped by local input and a clear ethical stance.

At the heart of Kate’s campaign is an unflinching energy policy. Lockhart is one of the few voices in Australian politics today who is willing to say what many suspect but few dare admit: that both major parties have become deeply compromised by fossil fuel donations and lobbying. The concrete result is what we see play out on our tv news screens every night: catastrophic flooding, droughts and fires, which lead to rising insurance premiums, rising food prices and a cost of living crisis.

Labor works hard on greenwashing its fossil credentials – the fact that they have opened up 24 new gas and coal project during the last three year – while the Coalition of the National Party and the Liberal party both fail entirely to seize the enormous opportunities of the green transition, the clean energy transition. With the gas and coal companies guidng their hand, they try instead to lure Australians into buying more gas, even though everyone knows that gas is getting more and more expensive, while renewables are getting cheaper by the day.

As Kate explained during a recent candidate forum event:

“We are in a climate emergency. Australia cannot afford more political delay, more gas expansion, or more greenwashing. We need science-led decisions, genuine accountability, and a complete stop to new fossil fuel projects.”
~ Kate Lockhart, Community Independent for Corangamite

Kate Lockhart’s new policy platform doesn’t pull punches. She calls for an immediate end to new coal and gas projects, including so-called “carbon capture” schemes, which she describes as “a distraction funded by the same fossil fuel industry that caused the problem.”

She backs science-based emissions reduction targets that align with keeping global warming below 1.5°C, as well as banning fossil fuel donations and ending fossil fuel subsidies. Her campaign supports a rapid scale-up of renewables, community-owned energy projects, and a clear transition plan for fossil fuel workers.

“This transition has to be fair. We must ensure that no worker or community is left behind. The solutions are here – we just need the political will to act on them.”
~ Kate Lockhart, Community Independent for Corangamite

But it’s not just what she says – it’s how she says it, and how she listens. Kate isn’t backed by a party machine. She’s backed by people, her local community. Her campaign is built on the foundational principles of the Community Independents movement: respect for evidence, authentic engagement with constituents, and a commitment to integrity above all.

That means no corporate donations. No backroom deals. No party line.

In her words:

“I’m not here to climb a political ladder. I’m here to represent my community honestly, to listen carefully, and to act with courage and integrity.”
~ Kate Lockhart, Community Independent for Corangamite

Kate’s latest newsletter “On the Road to Real Representation” reflects that ethos – a blend of on-the-ground updates, community events, and candid reflections. It’s the voice of someone genuinely present and accountable, not just turning up at election time.

Her website, katelockhart.au, is already filling with detailed, community-driven policies on climate, energy, integrity, housing, health and more – all written in plain English, free from spin.

The pace and quality of this work speak to a candidate not just ready for office, but ready to help shift the political culture itself.

There’s a sense that something important is happening in Australia – and in Corangamite – reflecting a broader shift in Australian democracy, one where politics is reclaimed by people who demand better.

What if we stopped voting out of fear, and started voting with courage and principle?

Kate Lockhart’s campaign answers that question. No matter the outcome, it’s already proving what a determined community can achieve in just a few weeks.

Kate Lockhart’s climate policy

Kate Lockhart’s energy policy

→ Read more on: katelockhart.au/policies/energy and katelockhart.au/policy-energy

Want to know more or get involved?

Visit katelockhart.au – or subscribe to Kate’s campaign newsletter.

Property risks in Corangamite due to climate breakdown

Climate Valuation and Climate Council property risk research:
• 1,673 properties are at high risk in Corangamite.
• 3,068 properties at medium risk.

Taking no action to tackle climate change means in 2050:
• 2,539 properties will be at high risk.
• 3,534 properties will be at medium risk.

The real reason why power bills are so high

Michael West’ Media’s The West Report: The Truth About the Energy Market

“We unpack all the scams, how it is rigged against consumers, who is making the money, why power bills are so high.”