The Clean Energy Council has appointed Walkley Award-winning former Channel Nine journalist and 2GB radio host, Chris O’Keefe, as its new National Spokesperson, representing Australia’s growing clean energy sector, in an effort to help everyday Australians make sense of an intensifying national energy debate this election year.
Chris joins with over 15 years of experience working at the highest levels of Australian media, including as a reporter for Nine News, the Today Show, A Current Affair and 60 Minutes, as well as writing for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Most recently, he was the host of the successful Drive program on 2GB in Sydney.
Clean Energy Council Chief Executive, Kane Thornton, said Chris’s appointment comes at a critical time for the industry in an increasingly politically charged environment for the energy sector and against a backdrop of rampant mis and disinformation.
“As a former talkback radio host, Chris has made a career out of cutting through the noise and making the complex, simple to understand. He will play a critical role in seeking out answers to the tough questions Australians want to know about our energy transition and calling out misinformation when we see it,” Mr Thornton said.
“Australians have a right to know what the transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy system means for them and their energy bills. Chris’s sharp instinct in addressing community concerns through various media platforms makes him a perfect fit for this role.
“We look forward to working with Chris to help clear the air on the national energy conversation, so that Australians can make informed and fact-based decisions about an energy transition that’s so important for households, businesses, jobs and industry,” he said.
For O’Keefe, the decision to represent the clean energy sector, after stepping away from his former broadcasting career, was simply the right thing to do.
Australians want the facts about the future of our energy system. We are not interested in ideology; we just want the cheapest power bills possible and a secure energy system that keeps the lights on and allows our farmers, manufacturers and businesses – the backbone of this great country, to flourish.Chris O'Keefe Clean Energy Council National Spokesperson
“I have spent my whole career taking complex information, cutting through the jargon and politics and telling people the truth.
“Above all, I want common sense solutions for Australian families and businesses, including an energy system that is reliable, affordable and sustainable.
“I am a patriotic Australian and I believe the families who have spent generations working well-paid jobs in industries like mining and energy should be able to see their children working in the same sector, rather than moving to the cities for work. Clean energy gives these families that opportunity.
“After all, it was only twelve years ago that the country’s first grid-scale solar farm, the Greenough River Solar Farm near Geraldton in Western Australia, became operational. Today almost half (40%) of our energy is generated by clean energy.
“This speed and efficiency in addressing a complicated problem for our nation is what clean energy delivers and this is why I made the choice to advocate for the industry that works not only in the national interest, but in the best interests of Aussie families and businesses,” he said.
The Clean Energy Council is set to embark on a public information campaign, to help provide Australians with a central source of truth and energy fact check. Please follow the Clean Energy Council on social media or head to our website for regular updates.
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For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Liam Straughan
Clean Energy Council Media Officer
+61 409 470 683