Greens slam Turnbull’s moves to give public money to coal, welcome state moves to reject NEG
Greens slam Turnbull’s moves to give public money to coal, welcome state moves to reject NEG
Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today slammed reports that Malcolm Turnbull has capitulated to the hard-right coal-huggers on his backbench by committing to the ACCC recommendation that could see public money spent on coal-fired power stations. Mr Bandt also cautiously welcomed moves by Daniel Andrews to reject the current design of the NEG, but warned that if he flip-flops on the NEG, he will feel the heat from a Greens army in the inner-city.
“The government’s NEG deal now includes a coal slush fund and it must be rejected by the States,” said Mr Bandt.
“The coal-huggers have won a bag of cash for polluting power-stations, making the NEG deal now actively harmful.
“Taking money from schools and hospitals and giving it to coal-fired power stations is obscene.
“Dishing out public money for coal is like the government giving away asbestos and the States shouldn’t have a bar of it.
“The current design of the NEG strangles investment in renewable energy. It will only deliver 4 new wind turbines’ worth of investment in renewables over 9 years. [1]
“Daniel Andrews and his state counterparts are starting to show some spine, but they must remain strongly opposed to the NEG.
“If Daniel Andrews sides with the coal-huggers, the Greens will make sure voters in the inner-city hear all about it.
“The government has not modelled the impact of this coal slush fund on the NEG and they must immediately release updated figures showing how much this will increase pollution, hurt renewables and lift electricity prices."
Contact: Gideon Reisner, 0429 109 054
