Media Statement - 14th November 2007
A Rudd Labor Government will implement a Clean Energy Plan to help Australian consumers and Australian businesses work together to tackle climate change.
Federal Labor’s Clean Energy Plan will help ensure all Australians reap the benefits of the latest clean energy supplies and energy saving technologies.
Expanding the cost effectiveness of clean energy will be critical to meet Federal Labor’s science based target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
The new elements of Federal
Labor’s Clean Energy Plan announced
today are a:
- $500 million Renewable Energy Fund - to develop, commercialise and deploy renewable energy in Australia.
- $240 million Clean Business Fund – to help business and industry deliver energy and water efficiency projects, with a focus on productivity and innovation.
- $150 million Energy Innovation Fund – to keep our world leading scientists and researchers in Australia, rather than losing them overseas.
These announcements compliment the other key element of Labor’s Clean Energy Plan - a $500 million Clean Coal Fund to fund the deployment of clean coal technologies.
Federal Labor today announced three new commitments under the National Clean Coal Fund including $50 million for a pilot coal gasification plant in Queensland, $50 million to demonstrate carbon capture and storage in New South Wales, and $5 million to undertake mapping and testing of potential carbon storage sites in Western Australia.
By rearranging Howard government spending to Labor’s more focused priorities; the net budget impact of the Clean Energy Plan over the next four years is $415.3 million.
Only Federal Labor understands that acting now on climate change is not only good for the environment, but good for the Australian economy.
The Howard Government has failed to provide support to Australian clean energy researchers, which has resulted in our experts heading overseas to develop and commercialise their technology.
Only Federal Labor will provide the support necessary to keep Australian technologies in Australia – along with the jobs and economic opportunities that flow from commercialisation.
Unlike the Coalition’s Climate Change Fund – which starts in 2012 alongside an emissions trading scheme – Labor’s plan is fully costed and will start next year.
Federal Labor will implement an emissions trading scheme by 2010 and will make the investments today that are required to help the economy prepare for emissions trading.
Mr Howard has admitted that his Fund won’t have substantial cash flowing for years after 2012 – only as the auctioning of permits increases under his trading scheme.
Under Howard Government policies, emissions are set to increase by 27% by 2020 above 1990 levels; under a Rudd Labor Government, emissions will go down.
This comprehensive plan builds on Federal Labor’s commitment to:
- Immediately ratify the Kyoto Protocol;
- Set a 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target by 2020;
- $8000 rebates for solar power, $1000 rebates for solar hot water systems, $500 rebates for grey water piping and rainwater tanks, $500 rebates for landlords to install insulation and $10,000 in low interest Green loans for solar systems and water and energy savings measures.
- Invest $15 million in a Clean Energy Export Strategy;
- Invest $20 million in a Clean Energy Innovation Centre; and
- Invest in a Green Car Innovation
Fund to develop and build green cars in
Australia.
