2016-05-02
02/05/2016
With Labor announcing a climate policy that seems to largely lock in the Abbott/Turnbull $1.3 billion cut from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, the Greens are today submitting a Senate motion calling for ARENA’s currently legislated funding to retained.
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, who will submit the motion today for a vote tomorrow, said:
“Labor’s climate policy appears to lock in most of the Liberal Party’s cuts to ARENA, leaving Australia with a $1 billion black hole in clean-energy funding.
“Labor needs to urgently review its climate policy and commit to funding ARENA in full by supporting our Senate motion against cuts to ARENA.
“If Labor fails to support our motion, it will show that just like the Prime Minister, the Labor Party is all is all talk and no action on investing in our 21st century clean energy economy.
“ARENA is the clean energy powerhouse behind emerging and cutting edge clean energy technology.
“The old parties are failing to provide certainty to renewable energy companies by ensuring adequate, consistent funding to fast track renewable energy projects.
“Both the old parties are stuck in the dark ages with their reliance on old, dirty power sources.
“Given the millions in dirty donations the old parties receive from the big polluters is it any wonder they want to gut our burgeoning clean energy industries?
“We could be a world leader in clean energy, but the Liberal and Labor parties don’t have the courage to stand up to the big polluters and plan for a future without polluting coal,” Senator Waters said.
Contact – Monique Vandeleur 0419 626 725