2021-05-17
As the US government prepares to wind back fossil fuel subsidies in advance of the upcoming G7 meeting, the Morrison Government has today committed to introduce new legislation in June to facilitate over $2 billion of subsidies to the owners of Australia’s two remaining oil refineries, Ampol and Viva Energy.
Yet, while dubbed the Fuel Security Bill 2021, the Morrison Government has completely left Australia at the back of the pack in the transition to electric transport, refusing to use either regulation or incentives to fast track the roll-out of electric vehicles.
The Greens will seek to amend the Bill to make sure that public money goes to investing in the cheaper zero emission technologies rather than padding the margins of the fossil fuel companies.
Snowy Hydro has also released the Environmental Impact Statement for it’s $610 million Kurri Kurri gas-fired power station, including modelling that it would not only be required to run on dirty diesel for its first six months, but would only employ 10 full time workers upon completion.
Lines from Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:
“Rather than supercharge the electrification of transport, the Government is throwing billions of dollars of public subsidies at two of Australia’s biggest polluters”, said Green Leader and Climate and Energy Spokesperson Adam Bandt.
“Public money should not be used to make the climate crisis worse. The Greens will move to redirect public money away from fossil fuels and towards electric vehicles and renewables.
“Electric vehicles pose a massive job creation opportunity for Australia, while also bringing down pollution and reducing costs for drivers and businesses.
“The IPCC and the IEA have both been clear that there is no more space for new fossil fuel infrastructure if we hope to meet the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement.”
Lines from Australian Greens transport spokesperson Senator Janet Rice:
“Before today, the Liberals had already announced close to half a billion dollars in subsidies for fuel refineries and overseas oil. Now they’ve piled on a massive $2 billion in handouts to prop up a dying and polluting industry," said Australian Greens transport spokesperson Senator Janet Rice.
“Yet, the Morrison Government still has no national strategy for electric vehicles, no incentives for consumers, no emissions caps for manufacturers, and a pitiful 10% of their infrastructure budget spend on public transport.
“The Liberals are a bunch of dinosaurs only interested in bankrolling their already mega-wealthy, oil tycoon mates.”