Former Clean Energy Finance Corporation CEO Oliver Yates will be challenging Treasurer and former Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg for the seat of Kooyong in Melbourne, while former Olympic ski champion Zali Steggall will take on former Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the blue ribbon Sydney seat of Warringah.

 

This follows the successful anti-coal campaign by independent Kerryn Phelps in the Wentworth by-election in Sydney after the resignation of former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

 

Yates said failing to act on climate change threatened Australia's safety, security and prosperity.

 

"It's about 28 years since the first international report called on government to act to reduce carbon emission as a known threat to the environment," he said.

 

"Since then, global emissions have risen more than 60%.

 

"The current Liberal government is delaying action and encouraging global inaction. As citizens of our only planet we can't afford that.

 

"As Australia gets predictable hotter and our weather becomes more extreme, I'm standing for real action on climate change immediately."

 

Yates said the Liberal Party continued to put the interests of the coal and fossil fuel industry ahead of just about every other industry and source of employment in Australia.

 

Stegall said there was a clean energy boom and Australia was in danger of missing out.

 

She has pledged to "introduce real federal policies to drive the shift to much lower carbon emissions … and live up to our responsibility as citizens of the world and commit to limiting global warming to no more than 1.5C.

 

"Also, lead the clean energy boom and drive opportunities in new technologies, renewables and clean transport."

 

At a state level the NSW Minerals Council is seeking government commitments ahead of the state election due on March 23 to support NSW coal mining - the state's largest export industry - by ensuring coal projects are assessed on their merits based on science, facts and evidence, to enable NSW to meet future export demand.

 

It has also released its NSW Election Policy Priorities Manifesto, outlining five key policy principles and 20 specific policy commitments that will deliver jobs, investment and growth, keep the economy strong, and support mining communities.

 

"There's strong demand for NSW coal across traditional and emerging global markets," NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said.