Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt MP has said figures showing an 18% drop in emissions as a result of the coronavirus are doomed to be short-lived under the Liberals' gas led recovery, urging the government to 'lock in' the drop by phasing out coal & gas and massively funding renewables.

"It's pathetic that the Liberals needed an economy-wrecking pandemic to see a drop in emissions," Adam Bandt MP said.

"If Tony Abbott hadn't torn up the Greens-secured carbon price in 2014, we'd have this kind of drop permanently  without having to shut down the economy.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, has today slammed as Orwellian a new Bill from the Morrison government that redefines ‘low emissions technology' to include gas in the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act. The move would enable gas corporations to access billions of dollars of support meant for renewables.

“Gas is as dirty as coal,” said Mr Bandt

"Bought by the gas industry, the Liberals are trying to legislate away a scientific truth. This is Orwellian.

Leader of the Australian Greens Adam Bandt has today said the release of the final system plan for Australia's energy grid showed that a transition to a zero carbon grid is possible quickly, and without gas to shore up supply.

"This plan from our national grid operator shows claims that a 100% renewable future is within our reach," Adam Bandt MP said.

With JobKeeper set for a $60b underspend, the Greens will introduce legislation to the Senate when Parliament resumes in June to extend JobSeeker and JobKeeper eligibility, as well as pushing for investment in jobs-rich recovery in arts and manufacturing.

With Scott Morrison gunning to use the findings of the King Review to back greenwashing attempts by the fossil fuel industry, the Greens say they will fight the government's moves to redirect public funds to coal and gas. Led by gas industry giants and fossil fuel advocates, the King Review suggests that efforts should be spent cleaning up emissions, not trying to prevent them in the first instance. There are three major changes proposed:

Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP has slammed Angus Taylor’s dim-witted plan to ditch support for solar and wind in favour of unproven and ineffective Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology.

In a speech today, the Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister will signal a shift away from renewables towards Carbon Capture and Storage and brown hydrogen.

“Angus Taylor’s one KPI is in his job description and he can’t even meet it,” said Mr Bandt.

Australian Greens Leader Adam Bandt has called for a growth in ‘renewables mining’ jobs and a phase out of thermal coal as part of the Green New Deal to unlock Australia’s potential as a clean energy superpower.

Comment from Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

“A growth in ‘renewables mining’ jobs as we phase out coal is an important part of the Green New Deal.

“Government needs to take the reins and oversee the transition so we grow jobs and industries, including in areas where coal mines and power stations exist at the moment.

Australian Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has said Labor and the Coalition have betrayed the Central Coast and Newcastle Community by voting down a Greens motion calling for genuine community consultation on Asset Energy’s plan to conduct seismic testing for gas.

Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young today welcomed the announcement SA’s ‘big battery’ would be expanded following investment by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Senator Hanson-Young who chaired the Senate Select Committee into the Resilience of Australia’s Electricity Infrastructure said the funding decision shows renewable energy generation does stack up and is where SA’s future lies.