The Victorian Energy Minister’s attack on the Albanese Government today has aptly described the shallow thinking behind federal Labor’s entire climate and energy plan – “it will magically sort itself out”.
The overruling of the Victorian Government’s Port of Hastings project has exposed the bare fact that the Albanese Government has no coordinated approach when it comes to meeting its renewables target.
Despite Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s assertions yesterday that all was well on the Labor Government’s ‘renewables-only’ transition plans, Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio exposed the schism in Commonwealth and State relations by accusing the Government of not working with Victoria to ensure the project’s approval.
Minister D’Ambrosio also accused the Federal Government of “sitting back” by making the states do all the work in the energy transition.
What Minister D’Ambrosio failed to point out was that the Victorian and Federal Government had no Plan B when it came to the Hastings project, leaving a gap in their energy transition plans and both governments scrambling to point the finger at each other over who is in the wrong, rather than focusing on what they should be doing: working together to bring stability to the grid and lowering power prices that they promised would be $275 cheaper.
Upon entering government, Chris Bowen promised a united national approach to energy yet all we have seen since is states going their own way and now that has descended into complete civil war.
Minister Bowen has shown a lack of leadership by not bringing the states and the local community on the journey with him towards his ideologically charged renewables target that will only increase energy prices.
90 per cent of Australia’s baseload power will exit the grid over the next ten years as a direct consequence of Labor’s failed energy policies with no guarantee of replacement.
In fact, the Clean Energy Council has revealed the rollout of renewable energy is running at one tenth of the pace required, whilst Labor smothers the supply of gas and continues forcing baseload energy out of the grid.
A lack of supply means higher prices and a less reliable grid.
The lack of coordination by both governments, exemplified by the rejection of projects like the Hastings facility, points to future instability in the grid and even more expensive electricity bills for households.
A giant gap exists between the state and federal Labor Governments in their renewables targets.
They should be working together to bring down power prices rather than pointing the finger at each other over who is in the wrong.