The Greens have welcomed the introduction of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill 2021 and Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Regulatory Levies) Bill 2021 as the beginning of Australia’s offshore wind industry.

However, given Angus Taylor’s hostility to climate action, and to ensure high standards of environmental and industrial protections are maintained, the Greens will refer the legislation to the the Environment and Communications Committee (with Sarah Hanson Young is Deputy Chair) to report by 14 October.

Labor’s belated recognition that Scott Morrison’s 2030 climate targets aren’t good enough is a move in the right direction, said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, but he called on Labor to join the Greens in setting science-based 2030 targets now, to help put pressure on Scott Morrison before the Glasgow climate summit at the end of the year.

Labor’s move comes as Scott Morrison has already announced that he is considering ‘updating’ the government's 2030 climate targets before Glasgow, suggesting government targets may be lifted but by an insufficient amount.

The Greens have today warned that the ongoing crisis in the Queensland energy market is a sign of things to come if we continue to rely on an aging coal fleet to keep the grid secure.

It has been reported that the fire at the Callide Power Station left over 470,000 homes and businesses without power, and the market operator was forced to issue a Level 2 Lack of Reserve notice at 4:44pm to manage the risk of further rolling blackouts.

Last week I travelled to Gamilaraay land to hear from community members in Coonabarabran and Gunnedah living on the front line of coal seam gas expansion in the central west of New South Wales. These communities have been fighting against dirty coal seam gas drilling for years now. It was a privilege to reconnect with locals and activists who have had their lives upturned by coal seam gas.

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt, has called out the increasing greenwashing of the government’s gas agenda.

The Greens have emphasised since the proclamation of the ‘gas-led recovery’ that gas is as dirty as coal and that plans such as building new gas plants would lock-in climate failure.

“Morrison’s so-called ‘gas-led recovery’ is a shameful exercise in corporate welfare for yesterday’s technology. 

“Adding as little as 5% hydrogen, which is the target for Energy Australia’s mooted ‘hybrid’ plant, is a comb-over for generators of dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

The Greens say an investigation is needed into the offsets for the Western Sydney Airport, after revelations that consortiums including advisors to the NSW government made millions from the development. 

An investigation by Lisa Cox at The Guardian revealed that over a quarter of all offsets sold in the NSW scheme were collected by the consortiums. 

Quotes attributable to Greens Leader, Adam Bandt:

Latest power price reports, showing again how renewables are driving down wholesale prices across the National Electricity Market after wholesale prices doubled following the Liberals’ repeal of the carbon price, should encourage the government to drive the transition faster and not prop up coal and gas, Greens Leader Adam Bandt said today.

As the Prime Minister pins all his hopes on technology to save his government’s complete lack of any climate policy, his financial commitment doesn’t match up to his marketing.

In the wake of President Biden’s announcement of a $2 trillion climate infrastructure package, Scott Morrison has proposed a $539 million hydrogen and CCS hub spend to spruik his low emissions technology strategy, 3700x less in total and 290x less per capita than the Biden administration.