Policy

“We really need to think of the long-term safety of Australia,” said Steggall this morning as she launched her campaign to set action on climate change in legislation that follows (belatedly) the UK Climate Change Act of 2008.

Fire-extinguishing rain on the East Coast, coronavirus as an urgent threat, and Morrison drumming up support for technology and free-market forces to cure climate change… It was a weekend to shake the resolve of some people to act on their own carbon emissions, but understanding the psychology of how we perceive risk and commit to action can help us focus and keep the flame of response alive.

Identity politics and an almost religious zeal have come to characterise Australian parliamentary climate debate, but smart industry groups, lobbyists, scientists and Liberal-minded change agents are working to influence the centre-right agenda towards a more economically rational and conservationist approach to energy transition.

“It’s a pivotal time to be working in the industry,” said Women in Focus award recipient Bridget Ryan. The GreenSync Policy and Government Lead has seen great change in her two decades in the industry, but recognises there is still a way to go.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad has called for more renewable investment and Federal government backing to help create and support more jobs in more industries, but gas is not out of the picture.

As Australia continues to battle horrific bushfires, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a renewed focus on gas-fired electricity to reduce emissions and lower energy prices. This is a dangerous and completely unnecessary route.

An energy deal struck between the Morrison and Berejiklian governments that will see more than $2 billion invested to increase gas supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity sector has prompted a flurry of reactions that boil down to two conflicting interpretations of its purpose.

In yet another confirmation of a dramatic drop in spending on large-scale renewables in Australia, a new analysis by the Clean Energy Council reveals a fall from 51 projects worth $10.7 billion in 2018 down to 28 projects worth $4.5 billion in 2019. Mounting regulatory risks, under-investment in transmission and policy uncertainty are the main reasons behind investment slow-down, which is set to put greater pressure on reliability and power prices as Australia’s old coal-fired power stations continue to close.

The SA Government’s standout Home Battery Scheme is now open to new home buyers and new builds. The expanded Scheme is already off to a flying start with the Stoddart Group promising to install 10,000 solar and battery systems over the next four years to create one of the world’s largest VPPs.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is in desperate need of a short-term funding extension as its funds to allocate to new projects is set to dry up by mid-2020. The Australia Institute has published a discussion paper urging the Morrison Government to legislate.