News / Federal Election
Khalil a no show at climate forum
MP was unable to attend because of a citizenship ceremony
Brunswick Voice
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
WILLS MP Peter Khalil says an unavoidable citizenship ceremony prevented him from taking part in an election forum on March 18 – but organisers say his absence reflects poorly on the Albanese government’s climate agenda.
Khalil informed the organisers of the Wills candidates climate forum the Friday prior to the event that he would be unable to attend because of a prior commitment.
In his absence, he provided a statement outlining the government’s achievements on climate and the environment, which was read out at the forum by MC Kelly O’Shanassy, the chief executive officer of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Organisers of the event in Coburg said they had contacted Khalil’s office several weeks before the forum but never heard back so went ahead with planning to hold it on Tuesday.
It is the first time Khalil has failed to appear at a candidate climate forum at the four elections since he first won the seat in 2016.
“Peter Khalil attended candidate climate forums in 2016, 2019, and 2022. It is very disappointing he chose not to attend the candidates forum this year,” said John Englart, convenor of Climate Action Merri-bek which was one of the organisers of the event.
“I note that after cost of living, the environment and climate change are issues on par with housing, healthcare and the economy as the top ranked issues for voters, yet Peter Khalil failed to turn up.”
“Community members felt very let down by Peter Khalil’s apparent lack of interest in attending the forum. We reached out to Mr Khalil several times, well in advance, to check his availability so we could plan the forum around his calendar, and he never got back to us with a date.”
A spokesperson for Khalil said he had already been booked for a citizenship ceremony at the same time as the forum.
The forum went ahead without him with the Greens’ Samantha Ratnam, Sue Bolton of Socialist Alliance and Owen Miller of Fusion Party in attendance. An advisor to Legalise Cannabis Party Senate candidate Fiona Patten also spoke. Organisers said Liberal candidate Jeff Kidney did not respond to an invitation attend – the second community forum in a fortnight he has avoided.
About 130 people were in the audience for the event.
Climate group makes its presence felt
A local offshot of the international environmental activist group 350 has been busy in Wills as it seeks to put climate change at the top of the policy agenda for this year’s election.
The 350 Melbourne group launched its 2025 campaign in February at an event attended by about 100 people at the Brunswick Town Hall.
A core group of 30 volunteers have been engaging with voters in Brunswick, Coburg, Fitzroy North, Carlton North, and Fawkner.
“We know Wills is a climate-conscious electorate, and people are outraged when they learn the extent of Australia’s fossil fuel expansion and its impact on cost of living,” said Lavanya Pant, a Fawkner-based organiser with 350.
“Australia is already transitioning to renewable energy, but our export emissions far outweigh our domestic ones. Our contribution to global emissions is massive and we know the science says any new coal and gas is incompatible with net zero by 2050.”
Khalil pulls in big names for campaign launch
Brian Howe, a deputy Prime Minister during the Keating government in the early-1990s, was a special guest at Peter Khalil’s Wills campaign launch in Brunswick East on March 20.
Also attending the launch were Housing and Homelessness Minister Clare O’Neil, and the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Ged Kearney, who holds the neighbouring seat of Cooper.
“Winning Wills is critically important for an Albanese Labor Government to be re-elected, stopping Peter Dutton and importantly allowing us to continue to serve our community, working for and making a real and positive difference to the people of Wills,” Khalil said.
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