The future will be built by sustainable coal

Manook effectively said that coal had been ‘choked’ and unfairly excluded from the Net Zero debate.

Manook is sharp and unapologetic in a role that few would envy. Especially in Australia, where Chris Bowen and Sussan Ley have the same limited vocabulary when it comes to our energy debacle. But Manook wasn’t arguing for a particular technology, but rather for technological neutrality and a level playing field.

Manook stated the obvious. The Net Zero debate is not about outcomes, it is about politics. The oft-touted level playing field aims to give no particular technology an advantage, with the outcomes from any particular technology standing on its own merits.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, The future will be built by sustainable coal.

The future of sustainable energy will be built by COAL.

Yesterday at the Press Club, FutureCoal’s chief, Michelle Manook, was questioned by journos on her address entitled: "Thank You for Not Coaling – when the world insists coal has no future, what would you do?"

Manook is… pic.twitter.com/ccl2vCA7Gm

— The Spectator Australia (@SpectatorOz) November 19, 2025