“Workers want a plan:” Greens push for transition authority to manage switch to renewables

The Australian Greens are planning to introduce a bill in the next sitting of parliament which would establish a National Energy Transition Authority designed to support fossil fuel workers as the energy industry transitions towards cleaner energy generation.

The Greens were the only party to campaign at the last election on a fully costed platform for the establishment of statutory transition authorities in coal and gas regions which would be managed by locals, unions, and businesses, and which would be funded to grow new industries and ensure future employment.

“Everyone knows the phase out of coal is underway so we have to put in place plans and institutions to support the communities that will be affected,” said Senator Penny Allman-Payne, who lives in Gladstone, a major port in Queensland. “This must be on the table at the Jobs and Skills Summit.

“There is so much opportunity for new jobs and industries in the coal regions, we just need to get on with it. Where I live, in Central Queensland, coal and gas workers tell me they know their jobs are on the way out and they’re sick of governments pretending that it isn’t happening. They want some honesty, and they want a plan.”

A National Energy Transition Authority would be tasked with planning and coordinating new employment opportunities for workers and communities who are affected by the larger transition away from fossil fuels such as coal and gas.

It would be funded by a Diversifying Coal Communities Fund of $2.8 billion over ten years.

“As we have seen with the Latrobe Valley Authority, a locally led transition with national support can start to get results for coal workers, their families and their communities,” said  Allman-Payne.

“If the Government and Greens make serious progress on this issue over the next three years, Coalition climate scare campaigns will fall on deaf ears because coal and gas communities will know their future is being planned for and that their children will have a secure future.

“The experience in Europe shows that if you plan the transition, workers can move into new well-paid jobs, be redeployed through industry-wide polling or benefit from early retirement, but it needs leadership from government.”