The real jobs potential is in clean energy, ACF and ACTU research shows.
Anti-renewable energy commitments by the Victorian, Queensland and South Australian oppositions show they prefer energy chaos over certainty and are not ready to guide their states into the future, the Australian Conservation Foundation said today.
The three state oppositions have vowed to scrap their states’ renewable energy targets if they are elected at the next state elections.
“It’s disappointing to see the so-called alternative governments in these states playing along with the Turnbull government’s retreat into a coal-fired past,” said ACF climate change campaigner Gavan McFadzean.
“Coal is turbo charging the heatwaves and bushfires we’re experiencing this summer and coal is the driving force behind the coral bleaching that damaged huge sections of the Great Barrier Reef last year.
“By lining up behind Malcolm Turnbull, the Queensland, Victorian and SA oppositions have shown they are not ready to guide their states into the future,” he said.
Research commissioned by ACF and the ACTU shows strong policies on climate change and energy would generate an additional 105,500 jobs in Victoria by 2030 and an additional 90,700 jobs in Queensland by 2030.
“If the Queensland and Victorian oppositions cared about jobs and a healthy future they would get their states off last century’s dirty energy and get behind policies – like renewable energy targets – that will generate tens of thousands of new clean jobs.
“Renewable energy is now the cheapest option for generating new energy. Retreating to a coal-fired past will leave Australia with a scorched earth future.”
The statements by the three state oppositions come as business and industry heavyweights the Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the ACTU release a joint statement with ACF and others, calling on politicians to end partisan antics and work together to reform Australia’s energy systems and markets to deliver reliable, affordable and clean energy.
