For the last five years, Australia has been plagued by a lack of action on climate change and an absence of substantive energy policy. The effects of this political inaction cannot be underestimated; it has driven even blue-ribbon seats to abandon the Coalition.
For the Liberal National Government, climate change and energy policy remains a point of great contention, highlighting the rifts and vast ideological differences that exist within their "broad church".
Overwhelmingly, Australians struggle to understand the Government’s failure to accept science and their subsequent failure to reach a consensus approach to formulating any real energy policy within the party room. Indeed, the Government has spent five and a half years divided on this front.
This chaos and division has claimed the scalp of a relatively popular Prime Minister, and we are still yet to see any real change.
Australians are understandably frustrated by this instability and inaction. Families and businesses alike are frustrated with sky-rocketing electricity prices, and are disappointed that members of Government seemingly continue to ignore hard facts.
Australia’s carbon emissions are continuing to grow, with leading experts agreeing that the Government is not presently on track to achieve its inadequate emission reduction targets.
All the while, in this very term of the Parliament, we see senior Members of Government wave around pieces of coal in the House of Representatives, and deliver ill-conceived speeches to curry favour with donors from the coal industry.
Labor, on the other hand, remains committed to the Paris Accords, and has a renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2030. This isn’t, as certain MPs and Senators would have you believe, unreasonable.
In fact, the economic opportunities in terms of jobs and growth in this field that remain untapped should stir the Government into action. Alas, it would seem that we have debunked, once again, the myth that the conservatives are sound economic managers.
Labor has a bold and exciting plan, which will finally provide Australians with the stability and action that they expect in the fields of climate change and energy policy.
Labor has committed to establishing a $5 billion Energy Security and Modernisation Fund, to establish new energy infrastructure, unlock potential in the sector, create jobs and put downward pressure on electricity prices.
We also have established a solid framework to support communities impacted by inevitable coal-fired power station closures, to ensure workers are supported and are first in line for new job opportunities through our Plan for a Just Transition. With 75 per cent of coal-fired power stations are already operating beyond their original design life, there is no excuse for policy inaction in this area.
We have also announced a Household Battery Program, setting a target of one million household battery installations by 2025. Our $2,000 rebate for households to install battery storage systems will support the electricity grid, help families save money from their power bills, and drive growth within the industry.
Labor is also determined to help Australians become more energy efficient. Energy inefficiency drives up costs for businesses and households, and places jobs at risk.
We are committed to a suite a measures which will help Australians to improve their efficiency and thus cut their power bills. This includes providing one thousand grants of up to $20,000 to Australian manufacturers to help them reduce their energy usage. Our Australian Investment Guarantee, which will enable businesses to immediately deduct 20 per cent of investment in eligible depreciable assets over $20,000, will facilitate this investment in energy saving projects and upgrades.
Labor is committed to delivering the Australian people with a stable and robust policy framework in the fields of climate change and energy. Only Labor will end the Coalition’s policy paralysis, and only Labor will take action to address climate change and the rising cost of electricity.
