Labor ‘deal’ hinges on a clean energy target
LABOR will not support the Turnbull Government’s soon-to-be-announced energy policy if it doesn’t include a clean energy target.
The Government is putting the final touches on its energy policy, which the Prime Minister says will address energy affordability, reliability and meet Australia’s emissions target.
It’s understood the policy could be discussed at tomorrow’s Coalition party room meeting in Canberra.
But opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler said Labor, while willing to keep an open mind about a clean energy target as recommended by Chief Scientist Alan Finkel, was not giving the Government bipartisan support without a clean energy target.
“What we’re very worried about ... is the increasing likelihood that Malcolm Turnbull is walking away from the clean energy target under pressure from Tony Abbott,” he told ABC TV yesterday.
“If that’s what he does, then he won’t get the support of the Labor Party.”
He said capitulating to the conservative elements in the Coalition who opposed the clean energy target would have real consequences for the economy, including an investment freeze, job losses in the renewables sector, dropping reliability of electricity and rising power prices.
The Government has agreed to 49 of the 50 recommendations from Dr Finkel’s review of the electricity market, but not a clean energy target.
We’re very worried about ... Malcolm Turnbull walking away from the clean energy target under pressure from Tony Abbott.
— Mark Butler