ABBOTT RAMPS UP WAR ON WINDFARMS

Media Release

Mark Butler MP.

Shadow Minister for Environment

 Climate Change and Water

Date:  12 July 2015

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey's dramatic escalation in its war on Australia's wind industry is astoundingly reckless and is putting jobs and investment at serious risk.
Reports today that the Clean Energy Finance Corporation has been ordered by the Government to stop investing in wind energy projects is the latest step in its relentless attack on the renewable energy industry. 

How a Prime Minister and Treasurer can so blatantly undermine thousands of Australian jobs and billions of dollars in investment is beyond comprehension. 

Tony Abbott is abusing his office and the Cabinet process by pursuing his own anti-wind ideology, enlisting fellow wind haters Joe Hockey to help bring down a whole industry. 

Greg Hunt must stand up today and be clear about whether he supports this attack from Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey, or does he support Australia’s wind industry. 

Will Mr Hunt stand up for jobs, investment and the environment - or will he cower in the corner in the face of his climate sceptic colleagues? 

The wind industry employs thousands of Australians, attracts billions in investment and reduces pollution. Tony Abbott's own RET Review Panel found renewable energy drives down household power prices.  

Unlike Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey, Labor believes Climate change is a serious problem with a simple solution: cheap, clean, renewable energy to secure a healthy environment for the future generations. 

Australia's wind industry employs thousands of people, jobs in the sector tripled under Labor. 

Renewable energy has a bright future under Labor. We are consulting with the industry, finance sector and stakeholders on developing an ambitious post-2020 renewable energy policy which will see an increased role for more renewables in Australia’s energy market, bringing in more jobs and investment.