2016-05-02
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.
Senator Waters' Motion - 2 May 2016
I give notice that on the next day of sitting I shall move that -
The Senate:
- Notes how well positioned Australia is to take advantage of the huge jobs and commercial opportunities from investing in research and development in clean energy technologies.
- Notes that the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is the institution that will enable us to be global leaders in clean technology innovation.
- Notes that the 2014 Budget proposed $1.3 billion in cuts to ARENA for the financial years 2017-18 to 2021-22 which have so far been blocked but which have caused considerable uncertainty for ARENA.
- Resolves that the $1.5 billion of currently legislated funding for ARENA for the financial years 2016-17 to 2021-22 will not be reduced
Senator Larissa Waters