6 May 2011

Greens not impressed by Simon's renewable energy targets

| johnboy
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Yesterday Simon Corbell announced renewable energy targets for the ACT.

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury is not impressed:

In making the announcement, the Minister has achieved a magic sleight of hand by indicating the ACT’s renewable energy targets are not additional to Federal renewable energy schemes, nor the voluntary green power purchase made by many Canberrans already.

“The Minister has admitted that the targets are actually just projections of what is already happening – no new ACT policies were put on the table,” Mr Rattenbury said.

“A state or territory renewable energy targets have always come with a mechanism to deliver it, and been separate to any federal Government policy – but this ACT Renewable Energy Target has no mechanism, and the “target” is just measuring what we are already doing.

“While the Government might claim that they are meeting the Parliamentary Agreement commitment, all previous state targets have sat outside Federal Government schemes.

“In confirming that the Federal target would contribute to the ACT target, the Minister effectively only announced 5% extra by 2020 for the ACT.

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averagejoeaussie10:28 pm 01 Jun 11

O.K. Shane Rattenbury! Let’s see you put your money where your mouth is. The former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, signed the Kyoto agreement agreeing to meet certain green/emission targets. If these are not met, Australia as a nation has to pay millions in compensation. If you feel that either the A.C.T or Federal targets fall short, YOU pay the fines. Thanks, Shane, what a guy……..oh, hang on, you don’t want to? Hhmmm – like most of the Greens/Conservationists, I would suggest.

The talk of a “mechanism” makes me nervous. Past experience has shown that such a “mechanism” is code for a new law or gov’t policy compelling taxpayers to pay for green energy regardless of whether they want it or not, with more taxpayer money used to compensate low income earners.

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