2016-02-02
The Liberal Government is trying to stifle the independence of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency by neglecting to appoint new board members leaving the Environment Department Secretary as the only director, who has quorum.
"The Turnbull Government is repeating Tony Abbott's old tricks," Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said.
"This one is straight out of Abbott's playbook - he did exactly the same thing in 2014.
"Clearly, the climate dinosaurs of the Coalition and their climate-polluting donors are still running the government.
"The Liberal Government still has its bills to abolish the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation listed for debate.
"The Senate won't let the Liberals destroy these innovative, job-creating organisations, and so the Liberals are arrogantly trying to cut off the independence and expertise of the Renewable Energy Agency through the board.
"Major proposals come to ARENA's board for decision and having only a time-poor Department Secretary on the board is bad due diligence and a wasted opportunity for injecting high-level, diverse expertise.
"ARENA and the CEFC are doing innovative, job-creating, cutting-edge work to transition to a clean, prosperous economy, despite the Turnbull Liberal Government's senseless attempts to undermine them," Senator Waters said.
Australian Government Boards website, which shows the vacant positions: https://www.ausgovboards.gov.au/boards/australian-renewable-energy-agency-board