2018-03-22
The Senate has backed an Australian Greens motion rejecting any moves by the Federal or SA Liberal Government to weaken South Australia’s position as a leader in renewable energy. The Senate also rejected dismantling SA’s strong renewable energy target.
“If Malcolm Turnbull and Steven Marshall think they can start tearing down South Australia’s strong renewable energy industry, they can think again,” Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“The Prime Minister’s National Energy Guarantee would undermine South Australia’s flourishing renewable energy industry, including jobs-rich projects all over the state. South Australia has set the pace on renewable energy investment, and we’re already experiencing lower bills because of it.
“Just when we start to strike the right balance in providing clean energy to South Australians and lowering their power bills, Marshall and Turnbull want to team up to send us back to the dark ages where coal was king and women didn’t have the vote.
“The Greens will continue to fight the Turnbull and Marshall Liberal Governments in the Senate in Canberra, and in the upper house in SA to make sure our state continues to set the pace for the rest of the nation in investment in clean, renewable technology.”
The motion that passed the senate is as follows:
Senator Hanson-Young: To move—That the Senate—
a. Notes its concern that the Turnbull Government’s National Energy Guarantee will undermine South Australia’s renewable energy industry and job-rich projects; and
b. Rejects:
i. any move from either the state or Federal Government to weaken South Australia’s position as a leader in renewable energy, and
ii. any attempts to dismantle South Australia’s strong renewable energy target.