War of words blows up over proposed Illawarra offshore wind zone

She said Mr Constance supported renewable energy as Transport Minister and was part of a government that enabled the Illawarra offshore wind zone to be established. Adding that he campaigned for Gilmore in 2022 as part of a party that explicitly supported offshore wind - including prioritising the Illawarra.

"Andrew Constance campaigned for Gilmore at the last election on the Coalition's energy policy, which included offshore wind," Mrs Phillips said.

"What has changed? Why is Andrew Constance now supporting costly, risky nuclear power and opposing offshore wind energy?"

Mrs Phillips said offshore wind was part of the Liberal Party's policy in 2022 when Mr Constance was the party's candidate for Gilmore.

But Mr Constance "has done a complete back-flip and is now opposing offshore wind farms for narrow political purposes, despite his previous support for renewable energy," Mrs Phillips said.

However Mr Constance dismissed the floating offshore wind farm as a "white elephant", saying he had never supported it - "and the Albanese Government can't point to anywhere where I have."

"I see the $10 billion offshore wind farm as uneconomic, which will cripple people further with their power bills," he said.

"Its life span is only 30 years and it is way more expensive than nuclear power."

Instead of "political tit for tat, misinformation and name calling," Mr Constance said he was more focused on the community and how so many were struggling to make ends meet amid the cost of living crisis and soaring power bills.

Problems had been "exacerbated by a failure to take action by the Albanese Government and its local representative," Mr Constance said.

"We now face gas rationing and we haven't heard a peep out of the MP on that. How is she going to explain this to companies like Manildra?" he asked.