Josh Frydenberg has today conceded his hasty, half-baked National Energy Guarantee is in desperate need of work.
The COAG Energy Council has made one thing absolutely clear – this policy lacks detail.
The Turnbull Government was arrogant enough to try and rush through a policy without proper consultation – and the Federal Energy Minister was sent back to the drawing board.
The Council agreed to undertake significant work on the design and function of the scheme for consideration at a meeting next year.
The Andrews Labor Government wants a national energy policy that is affordable, reliable and increasingly renewable.
If a national policy is to work, it has to involve industry, consumer groups and the renewable energy sector to deliver for Victorian families and businesses.
The clean energy industry is demanding more detail and have raised concerns about the possible impacts of this scheme on investment.
Victoria shares these concerns among others – and we expect to get answers.
Our priorities are reduced costs for Victorians, lower emissions and more renewable energy projects.
We are already leading the nation with our renewable energy targets, with legislation for net zero emissions by 2050 and 40 per cent renewables by 2025.
We won’t take lectures from the Liberals or the Greens when it comes to energy. The fact is, we’re getting on with the job.
And we will keep pressuring the Commonwealth to get the policy right to drive down the cost of living for Victorian families and businesses, grow our renewable energy sector and create new jobs.
Renewables are the key to Victoria's energy future, and the Turnbull Government's plan needs to complement Victoria’s nation-leading work and give industry certainty.
We won’t commit to a political fix for Malcolm Turnbull – we want a detailed policy backed by consultation.
We won’t be signing up to anything that undermines Victoria’s nation-leading renewable energy and climate change policies.
Otherwise the only guarantee is that we won’t support it.
Reviewed 19 August 2020