[Greens-Media] MEDIA RELEASE: Greens challenge government to implement renewable energy review findings

[Willis, Katrina (Sen C. Milne)]

MEDIA RELEASE

Greens challenge government to implement renewable energy review
findings

9th May 06

The Australian Greens today challenged the Howard Government to
implement the findings of its own review and lift the renewable energy
target for Australia.

Australian Greens energy spokesperson Senator Christine Milne said the
Greens would move amendments to increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy
Target (MRET) after the government failed to include the measure in a
bill before parliament.

"When the government introduced the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target in
2000 it clearly underestimated just how quickly the renewable energy
industry could respond," Senator Milne said in Canberra.

"A surge of investment into renewable energy, especially wind and solar
water heating, means that progress towards the target of 9,500 GWh per
annum by 2010 is years ahead of schedule. As a result, further
investment in the renewable energy industry has stalled."

The 2003 Tambling review of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000
recommended that the MRET be extended from 2010 to 2020 with an
increased target of 20 000 GWh to be achieved by 2020. However, the
government failed to include this measure in the Renewable Energy
(Electricity) Amendment Bill 2006. 

The Greens criticised this omission in a report on the bill by the
Senate Environment, Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
Legislation Committee, tabled today.

"The recommendations of the Tambling review for an extended timeframe
and increased target have received very widespread support from the
renewables industry since 2003 but the government has failed to respond
positively," Senator Milne said.

"The target needs to be bolstered urgently to reinvigorate investment in
the renewables industry in Australia.

"It is terrible to see the Australian wind and photovoltaic industries
stall when they are the industries with the fastest jobs growth in
Germany. Several US states are also introducing renewable energy targets
because they see this jobs growth potential."

Contact: Katrina Willis 02 6277 3063 or 0437 587 562 



Katrina Willis
Adviser
Office of Senator Christine Milne
Ph: 03 6234 4566
0437 587562
Fax: 03 6234 2144
www.greens.org.au