2016-10-07
Greens climate and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP called on the Energy Ministers to reject Malcolm Turnbull’s war on renewables and put in place a plan for a new energy system that can support a shift to clean energy.
Mr Bandt also said the government’s scare campaign on renewables investment ignored the reality that billions of dollars of new investment will be necessary to replace aging energy generation and infrastructure in the coming years regardless of what type of generation replaces it.
“Malcolm Turnbull is the land lord who rips up the floorboards and then complains when the tenants don’t want to live in the house. The Liberals cut the national renewable energy target and now complain that states and territories want to increase their ambition,” said Mr Bandt.
“As our population grows and infrastructure ages, there will be billions of dollars spent on our electricity network in coming years. The scare campaign around the cost of renewable energy ignores the looming multi-billion dollar investment necessary just to keep up with demand.”
"The world including Australia is shifting to clean energy. We can do that in the cheapest, efficient, least disruptive way with a plan or we can just let the market drive it with all the unintended consequences. The Greens say there needs to be a plan.”
“The Energy Ministers’ must work together to put in place a process for the orderly retirement of coal fired power station, rules change and investment in a grid that can support the big new investment in clean energy that is coming.”
Media ReleaseClimate ChangeEnergy