Mike Newman, the NSW One Nation leader whose party has promised to “get rid of every bit of net zero legislation” within 100 days if elected in March, previously spruiked the benefits of renewable energy in the Hunter region, declaring as recently as last year that “the clean energy journey is ours for the taking” while criticising Australia's rollout as too slow.
Newman, a former Macquarie banker and trade commissioner who plans to run in the electorate of Cessnock, has made energy policy One Nation's signature focus since his surprise appointment in August. The party has pledged to get rid of net zero legislation and regulation if elected in March, while Newman has attacked Labor's “renewables obsession”, labelling the rollout of clean energy and Renewable Energy Zones an “abject failure”.
But speeches, social media posts and articles from recent years show a more nuanced view. In 2023, Newman presented at a hydrogen power conference in Seoul where he predicted “a lot more momentum behind our renewable energy” following the Minns government's review of the NSW electricity network. He said: “We believe will see a real speed up of the investment pathway and also support mechanisms to really get renewable energy to support very much the large-scale projects which are in NSW.”
He also promoted the Clean Energy Precinct at the Port of Newcastle, which has received more than $100 million in state and federal funding. In June last year, Newman wrote that the collapse of the Gladstone hydrogen project presented a “Stephen Bradbury opportunity” for NSW, adding: “For sectors that are critical to the Hunter and more broadly, NSW, the clean energy journey is ours for the taking.”
Newman said there had been “no change whatsoever” in his position on renewable energy, likening his past comments to being a “salesman”. “I was doing my job serving the people of NSW,” he said. “My feeling on renewables is irrelevant. If I've got a customer, I'm going to sell to them. If I was a Mercedes dealer and I thought the convertible looks best in obsidian black, but the customer wants lime green, am I going to tell them, ‘No you can't have it?’ I'm agnostic. If my customer wants something, I'm not going to say no, even if I fundamentally disagree with it.”
Newman, who in September last year had an email signature describing himself as “Clean Energy Senior Counsel” for the port, met NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe in September 2024 to discuss the “clean energy market”, according to diary disclosures. The meeting involved Newman spruiking hydrogen investment, this masthead confirmed. He denied One Nation's commitment to removing emissions reduction infrastructure would cripple the same investment, saying removing government funding would “harm investment in renewables” but that the sector was “a grifter's paradise”.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Voters in the March NSW election face a clear contrast between One Nation's current platform and the pro-renewables stance its leader once held publicly.
- The Hunter region, a key battleground, has received significant state and federal investment in clean energy projects that Newman previously championed.
- The revelations raise questions about the consistency of energy policy positions ahead of the election.
Background
Mike Newman was appointed NSW One Nation leader in August 2025 after the party's previous leadership change. He previously worked as a Macquarie banker and trade commissioner, and was engaged as a consultant to the Port of Newcastle to help navigate hydrogen investment from Japan and South Korea for its Clean Energy Precinct. The March 2026 NSW state election is approaching, with energy policy a central issue.
Key Perspectives
Mike Newman (NSW One Nation leader): Says his position on renewables has not changed; his past comments were part of his job as a “salesman” for the port. He is “agnostic” on energy sources and says his current policy to scrap net zero laws does not contradict his earlier work.
One Nation (party platform): Promises to “get rid of every bit of net zero legislation and regulation that is killing our industries” within 100 days if elected, and has attacked Labor's “renewables obsession”.
What to Watch
- Whether Newman's past comments become a campaign issue in the seat of Cessnock and the broader Hunter region.
- The response from Labor and the Coalition on Newman's credibility regarding energy policy.
- Any further disclosures from Newman's consulting work or past meetings with government officials.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedNewman previously touted the benefits of renewable energy in the Hunter region.WA Today - Latest News: “One Nation’s leader in NSW for years spruiked the benefits of renewables in the Hunter region”
- Partly supportedNewman’s party promised to get rid of net zero laws if elected in March, within 100 days.WA Today - Latest News: “One Nation has promised to “get rid of every bit of net zero legislation and regulation that is killing our industries” within 100 days if elected in March”
- SupportedNewman said “the clean energy journey is ours for the taking” while criticising Australia’s renewable energy rollout as too slow.WA Today - Latest News: “declaring as recently as last year that “the clean energy journey is ours for the taking” while complaining Australia’s rollout of renewable energy was too slow.”
- SupportedIn 2023, Newman predicted more momentum behind renewable energy after the NSW electricity network review.WA Today - Latest News: “In 2023, Newman presented at a hydrogen power conference in Seoul in which he predicted “a lot more momentum behind our renewable energy” following the release of the Minns government’s review of the NSW electricity network that year .”
- SupportedAt the conference, Newman said renewable energy could support large-scale projects in NSW as investment pathways and support mechanisms sped up.WA Today - Latest News: ““We believe will see a real speed up of the investment pathway and also support mechanisms to really get renewable energy to support very much the large-scale projects which are in NSW,” he said in a speech”
- SupportedThe Clean Energy Precinct at the Port of Newcastle has received more than $100 million in state and federal funding.WA Today - Latest News: “a Clean Energy Precinct at the Port of Newcastle which has received more than $100 million in state and federal funding”
- SupportedIn June last year, Newman wrote that the collapse of the Gladstone hydrogen project presented a “Stephen Bradbury opportunity” for NSW.WA Today - Latest News: “In June last year, he wrote the collapse of the Gladstone hydrogen project had presented a “Stephen Bradbury opportunity” for NSW.”
- SupportedNewman said there had been “no change whatsoever” in his position on renewable energy and likened his past comments to being a salesman.WA Today - Latest News: “Newman said there had been “no change whatsoever” in his position on renewable energy, and likened his past comments, during which he was a trade commissioner or contracted to the Port of Newcastle, to being a “salesman”.”
- SupportedNewman is a former Macquarie banker and trade commissioner, and plans to run in Cessnock.WA Today - Latest News: “Mike Newman, who plans to run in the electorate of Cessnock”
- SupportedNewman’s email signature described him as “Clean Energy Senior Counsel” for the port in September last year.WA Today - Latest News: “His email signature from September last year described himself as the “Clean Energy Senior Counsel” for the port.”
- SupportedNewman met NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe in September 2024 to discuss the “clean energy market”, according to diary disclosures.WA Today - Latest News: “In September 2024, he met NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe in what her diary disclosures state was a discussion about the “clean energy market”.”
- SupportedNewman said removing government funding would harm renewables investment, while describing the sector as “a grifter’s paradise”.WA Today - Latest News: “Newman said removing government funding would “harm investment in renewables”, but that the sector was “a grifter’s paradise”.”