A veteran journalist has accused Chris Bowen of leaving Australia exposed to fuel shortages and effectively handing control of the nation's energy system to China.

Seven News Spotlight reporter Liam Bartlett blamed the Albanese government’s aggressive renewables push for what he called an imminent national energy crisis. 

'If the war with Iran has done nothing else, it's given us all a real‑world, real‑time lesson in what truly runs our lives,' he wrote in an op-ed on Monday morning.

'A brutal reminder of which fuels actually matter and what government must do to protect the chain of supply and hence the livelihoods of its people.'

Bartlett questioned how a nation rich in coal, gas and oil could be facing fuel stress at petrol stations, calling the situation rhetorical and directing blame at the country’s Energy Minister. 

'Of course, all of these are rhetorical questions because our road to the global fuel begging bowl is a one‑way street to the office of energy minister Chris Bowen,' he wrote.

He accused Bowen of pursuing renewables with 'the kind of zealotry usually reserved for religious extremists'.

'Indeed, the mad mullahs of the Iranian regime would be hard pressed to be more single‑minded and lacking in balance,' Bartlett added.

Bartlett pointed out China’s dominance over the minerals vital to renewable energy technology, and argued Bowen had failed to reckon with the moral and strategic costs of relying on that supply chain. 

'In developing countries, like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, the extent of the misery created by Chinese mining companies is palpable,' he said.

'Health and safety regulations are non‑existent with workplace deaths a common occurrence. Child and slave labour is used with impunity and environmental safeguards are a foreign concept.'

He shared the perspective of Zambian lawyer Mehluli Batakathi, who represents farmers harmed by pollution from a Chinese‑owned copper mine.

'We're at the tail end of the chain because you guys in your part of the world are talking about renewable energy, green revolution and whatever,' Batakathi said.

'But maybe it's clean on your side but on our side, it's definitely not clean.'

Bartlett warned Australia's net‑zero ambitions depend almost entirely on this questionable supply chain.

'Without Chinese components or the minerals they're extracting from these Dickensian hell‑holes, our net zero future is dead,' he wrote.

The opinion piece followed a tense public clash between Bartlett and Bowen at a Sydney press conference this month, amid rising fuel supply concerns. 

The exchange, broadcast live, quickly turned heated.

'If this war in Iran has shown us nothing else, hasn't it proved once and for all, that your obsession with renewables will only lead us back to another energy crisis?' Bartlett asked.

He accused Bowen of dodging an exclusive Spotlight interview.

'What are you afraid of?' he called out. 

Bartlett repeatedly tried to interject, at one point calling the minister 'a hypocrite', prompting Bowen to push back.

'You've come to a press conference. Congratulations,' Bowen replied. 

'I think you need to show a bit more respect to your colleagues. This is a full room of journalists. Everyone gets one question.'

Bartlett retorted that he'd been seeking answers 'since the 24th of January', pressing Bowen on what he called the minister's 'renewable obsessions'.

Bowen countered that he was holding daily press conferences and rejected claims he was avoiding scrutiny.