Renewables jobs boom in spite of Turnbull's war on renewables: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today welcomed ABS data showing a 33% surge in employment from renewable energy in Australia, noting these gains were achieved despite the government’s war on renewable energy.

“Renewable energy is a jobs-rich industry and these latest figures prove it,” said Mr Bandt.

Abbott-friendly NEG is a dog: Greens

Greens energy and climate change spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that as Tony Abbott starts tweeting in support of the NEG, Labor should toughen up and demand better of the Federal government than this dog of a policy.

“The NEG is a dog,” said Mr Bandt. 

“The NEG was designed to appease the coal-huggers on the backbench and Tony Abbott’s latest endorsement suggests that plan is working.”

Greens ready to block NEG.

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the more detail that emerges about the NEG, the worse the framework becomes. With each new revelation, it becomes increasingly difficult to see how the NEG is anything but a policy designed to placate Tony Abbott and the fossils on the backbench, meaning the Greens may have no choice but to block legislation when it comes to Federal Parliament.

Stopping network rorting requires rule change to reduce rate of return: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today backed The Grattan Institute’s call to reduce the ‘regulated asset base’ of our electricity networks, which echoes The Greens’ call to reduce the guaranteed rate of return offered to networks to a figure that is, or is close to, the government bond level.

“There’s no justification for making consumers subsidise investment that is essentially risk-free,” said Mr Bandt.

Greens support ACTU workplace rules push, will introduce key legislation to tackle insecurity and work/life balance

Greens employment spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today gave in principle support to Sally McManus’ call to ‘change the rules’ to protect working people from insecure work, stagnant wages and the erosion of fundamental rights.

Is our new Deputy Prime Minister a climate change denier?

Greens spokesperson for climate change and energy Adam Bandt MP today questioned the new Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, about his position on climate change.

“It appears that the second most powerful man in the country doesn’t believe in climate change,” said Mr Bandt.

Bandt challenges Labor on preference deals.

Greens MP Adam Bandt today challenged Labor to come clean about reports of preference negotiations and deals in Batman with Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives. 

“Cory Bernardi has said he aims to preference Labor in Batman ‘subject to negotiations’,” said Mr Bandt.

“Labor did a deal with the Liberals last election to get preferences in Batman and it looks like they might do it again with Cory Bernardi.

Direct Action is a sham, safeguard mechanism not safe: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said reports today that nearly 60 industrial sites have been jacking up their pollution, sanctioned under the so called ‘safeguard mechanism’ shows that Tony Abbott’s Direct Action plan is a sham that lets Josh Frydenberg lift pollution at taxpayers’ expense.

“Emissions are rising because our climate legislation is a figleaf designed by Tony Abbott to let polluters keep on polluting,” said Mr Bandt.

Carbon Capture and Storage won’t save coal & is a waste of money and a waste of time: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today slammed suggestions that taxpayer funds from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation should be used to fund Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Since 2003, according to The Australia Institute , over $1.3 billion has been wasted on this unicorn technology – money that should have been spent on clean, green, proven renewable energy technology.

Power to the people: towards a publicly owned electricity grid

The Greens will seek to return the national electricity grid into public hands, starting with the vital interconnectors between regions.

The policy will help bring down electricity prices and help cut pollution by ensuring better planning and investment to underpin a clean energy future.