As the federal parliament enters the final sitting week for 2016, former PM Tony Abbott has used an interview with Sky News to attack renewable energy in what could be seen as an affront to Malcolm Turnbull’s leadership position. In … Continue reading Anti-jobs Abbott digs in against renewables, despite public backlash
National environment group Friends of the Earth welcomes the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) announcement of support for 12 large-scale solar projects across Australia and says it’s time for the Turnbull government and opposition to reject proposed funding cuts. Leigh … Continue reading Time for Turnbull, Shorten to reject ARENA cuts
The newly elected Abbott government renewable energy policies have the sector and environment groups worried. It has committed to review the RET, impose real-time sound monitoring at wind farms, and conduct another study in wind farms an health.
According to Crikey, which conducted a survey of sitting Liberal party MPs in September, the Coalition draws new-blank support for wind farms. Only one Liberal MP, Warren Entsch, is on the record with a clear position of support for wind energy. Others such as Minister for Environment Greg Hunt and Minister for Energy Ian Macfarlane are ‘on the fence’. Leading progressive Liberal Malcolm Turnbull ‘shows promise’ but could try harder.
Retired Liberal Senator and wind energy champion, Peter Rae (AO), presents a model for the newly elected Abbott government. At the All Energy conference in Melbourne, Rae said Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt understands the importance of wind energy. Rae says the Liberal party have a legacy of supporting world-leading renewable energy policies. Rae hopes this tradition will be upheld. Continue reading “Pollie Watch: It’s not impossible to be a Liberal and support wind farms”
Crikey has conducted a survey of sitting Coalition MPs on the issue of wind energy. The news service has found just one pro-wind energy MP in the government’s ranks, Leichhardt’s Warren Entsch. Reporter Andrew Crook notes: “It seems like Entsch is to wind as Julie Bishop is to women among senior Coalition ranks.”
So what else did Crikey find? There are a few Coalition MPs ‘on the fence’, some who ‘show promise’, and several retired pro-wind energy Liberals: Continue reading “Pollie Watch: Where do Coalition MPs stand on wind farms?”
yes2renewables.org 