Not the right time for Labor to be hairy chested on climate and energy, says Bandt

Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)
Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Greens leader Adam Bandt has urged the newly elected Labor government to abandon its “hairy chested” approach to climate and energy policies, even if it does secure a small majority in the House of Representatives after last Saturday’s federal election.

It seems unlikely that Labor will be forced into the type of negotiations the Gillard government undertook in 2010, when it produced the widely admired Clean Energy Package with the Greens and other independents, but Bandt says the huge climate-focused cross-bench voted in last Saturday sends a strong message.

“It will be up to Labor to decide what approach they want to take,” Bandt said in an interview for this week’s episode of the Energy Insiders podcast, recorded one day before Labor leader Anthony Albanese vowed to make “no deals” with the Greens.

“The early signs are that they’re sticking with a hairy chested, you either pass it unamended, or don’t pass it at all approach,” Bandt said.

“I think people have had enough of that. I think that kind of, it’s my way or the highway, take it or leave it on something as critical as climate has had its day. We would be very willing to sit down with the government and have a discussion about their legislative package, on climate as well as other things.

“But they’ve got to understand that we see this election as delivering a mandate for climate action. And one of the most critical things from our perspective at the moment is the idea that Labor will open new coal and gas projects.

“Now, if they start opening up new projects, it will dwarf any potential emissions reduction that we might get from whatever legislative package gets passed through Parliament. It’ll make the job of tackling the climate issue that much harder.”

Listen: Energy Insiders Podcast – No more coal and gas mines, says Bandt

The Greens went to the election with typically strong targets on climate – 100 per cent renewables by 2030, no new coal and gas mines (as per the IEA and UN scientific advice), a 75 per cent cut in emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2035.

Labor is assuming an 82 per cent share in renewables by 2030 – a significant enough change – and while its 2030 interim emissions reduction target of 43 per cent is better than the Coalition’s, it is still short of the Paris climate goal of capping average global warming to as close to 1.5°C as possible.

“(Labor’s) domestic emissions target is based on the Great Barrier Reef being destroyed,” Bandt says. “What we learned during the course of the campaign is that their target is at best a two degree target, it may even see temperatures go even higher.”

And, he points out, it doesn’t factor in controversial new fossil fuel projects such as the Beetaloo Basin fracking plan in the Northern Territory or the massive Scarborough gas project that Woodside wants to exploit near WA’s Ningaloo Reef.

“The advice that I’ve read …. I can’t see how you can open these new projects, cause a lift Australia’s domestic emissions, and still expect to meet the targets.”

Bandt favours turning Snowy Hydro, the government-owned utility that is making controversial investments into the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro scheme, and the Kurri Kurri gas project, into an even bigger renewables giant, a “Snowy 3.0” that is there for the public good.

He is generally supportive of Labor’s plan for a $20 billion grid fund, but is keen to see the details. Bandt is more in favour of state investment in transmission, and is conscious of the environmental and social licence issues surrounding the plans.

Bob Brown, for instance, is strongly opposing new transmission lines in Tasmania, as well as the new sub-sea Marinus Link from Tasmania to Victoria.

“On the question of interconnection, yes, there’s there’s strong environmental questions. But there’s also a big economic question. And it’s got to be about having a consistent and overall national plan to drive down emissions.

“To date, under the previous government, we haven’t seen that. And we’re saying, look, show us the business case for interconnection, and show us that as part of an integrated plan to cut pollution and increase renewables penetration.”

The Greens are also pushing for a managed transition out of fossil fuels and into renewables.

“Coal and gas workers are not the enemy,” he says. “We need to transition in a way that supports workers and communities … and so a big part of our package is greater government action.

“It includes things like ensuring that there is a job and wages guarantee for coal workers, for example. So as we phase out coal by 2030, we do it in a way where you offer subsidies to new businesses to come in and take on former coal workers. And you then give those businesses a subsidy to pay the coal worker their former wages.

“So in other words, if a new business comes into the Hunter Valley and says, I’ll take on a coal worker, and I promised to pay the coal worker what they were getting in the coal job, then the government steps in and subsidises the new business, and for a period of up to 10 years to ensure the coal worker doesn’t lose out.”

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