AUSTRALIANS HAVE HAD 'MORE THAN ENOUGH' OF ABBOTT'S WAR ON RENEWABLES

Media Release

Mark Butler MP.

Shadow Minister for Environment
 Climate Change and Water

Date:  27 July 2015

Tony Abbott has again shown how out of touch he is with Australians, claiming his reduced Renewable Energy Target (RET) is ‘more than enough’ when it comes to renewable energy. 

Lonergan research conducted for Future Super Fund last week showed 84 per cent of Australians think there should be more than 40 per cent of renewable energy in Australia. 

Tony Abbott’s attack on renewable energy is driven in equal parts by his ideological opposition to taking action on climate change and his personal problems with the aesthetics of wind farms. 

“This is simply not good enough from the Prime Minister of Australia,” Shadow Climate Change Minister Mark Butler said. 

“He is stuck in the past when Australians want a vision for the future. 

“It’s inexplicable for the nation’s leader to so blindly oppose the economic benefits and job creation opportunities presented by investing in renewable energy. 

“It is nothing short of economic vandalism to put Australian jobs and investment at serious risk by saying such stupid things. 

“He’s effectively staring the 24,000 renewable energy workers in the face and saying, ‘I don’t like what you do for a living, so I’m going to make sure you’re unemployed.’” 

Bill Shorten’s commitment to have 50 per cent of Australia’s electricity generated from renewable sources by 2030 has been resoundingly supported by Australians. 

“Throughout the ongoing RET negotiations of the last 18 months, people were saying to us that firstly we need to settle the RET debacle created by the Government, but also that we need to look beyond 2020 and have a plan to make renewable energy a big part of Australia’s future,” Mr Butler said. 

“Labor is doing that. We’ve recognised this and will have the right policies to ensure renewable energy is a critical industry in Australia’s economy. 

“Tony Abbott is doing everything in his power to make sure that doesn’t happen. 

“Frankly, Australians have had more than enough of his ideological crusades.”