Election Diary: Coalition’s $250m oil gift, Bandt unloads, Morrison discovers solar hot water

Morrison gifts another $250 million to prop up oil refineries

The Morrison government’s first major energy policy announcement of the election campaign will see it provide a further $250 million in subsidies to prop up Australia’s ailing oil refineries.

The funding will be split between Ampol and Viva Energy, to keep Australia’s last two oil refineries afloat.

The move has been slammed by clean energy and electric vehicle advocates, who argue the better way to boost Australia’s energy security would be to make it easier for Australians to drive electric cars.

Bandt says major parties ‘aiding the enemy’ on climate crisis

In a fiery launch of the Australian Green’s election campaign, leader Adam Bandt unloaded on the major parties, saying the were “aiding the enemy” in a war against the climate crisis.

Bandt told the National Press Club on Wednesday that the Greens hoped to use a balance of power position after the next federal election to push for an end to new fossil fuel projects.

“When we’re in the balance of power after the election in the Senate, and the House, and have kicked the Liberals out, this will be our key demand – in this time of climate and environmental emergency – stop opening coal and gas mines,” Bandt said.

“Our enemy is the climate crisis. The enemy is fuelled by coal and gas. Mining and burning coal and gas is killing people. And Liberal and Labor want more.”

Solar hot water maker to shift jobs offshore, after hosting Morrison for new jobs promise

On Tuesday, Scott Morrison toured the factory of solar hot water manufacturer Rheem, which the prime minister used to launch his promise to create 1.3 million jobs.

However, it seems Rheem will not come to the party for new jobs creation. While the company currently employs around 500 people at its Rydalmere factory in Sydney, the company preparing to send around one-third of its jobs offshore.

Rheem is currently in the process of ‘restructuring’ its business, that will see the company shift more of its  hot water system manufacturing operations to Vietnam, leading to job losses at the Rydalmere factory.

Climate 200 vs Murdoch media

Climate 200 convenor Simon Holmes a Court is having a running battle with the Murdoch media over the description of his organisation that is backing a number of so called “climate independents” in the coming election.

The Australian has insisted that the Climate 200 fundraising group is defined as a “political party”. Not so, says Holmes a Court, who has a tweet from the Australian Electoral Commission to prove it. Will The Oz editor accept that verdict? Possibly not.