Greens welcome decision to drop coal plant

 Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt has welcomed a Federal Government decision to withdraw $100 million in funding to the proposed HRL coal fired power station in the La Trobe Valley.

 Mr Bandt called on the Victorian government to now also withdraw its funding.

 "After a hard fought community campaign the Minister has made the right decision", Mr Bandt said.

 "Minister Ferguson should now redirect the funding towards clean renewable energy."

 "The Victorian Government now has the legal grounds to withdraw all funding from the project. Mr Baillieu should do so."

 "There is no future in coal. We must shift to clean energy."

 The Greens and Christine Milne have pursued the HRL funding in Parliament for several years including in Senate Estimates. Mr Bandt currently has a motion before the House of Representatives calling on the HRL funding to be withdrawn.