Australian Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson on climate and energy, Adam Bandt MP, has welcomed the ACTU’s adoption at its National Congress of a strong platform for action on climate change.

Mr Bandt said the support for an Energy Transition Authority to oversee the shift away from coal to renewable energy, including supporting the transition for workers and communities, was particularly welcome and mirrored the Greens’ policy for a ‘Renew Australia’ authority.

Despite government spin, the electricity market operator’s plan released today shows a future with almost no coal-fired power is coming, Greens climate and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said today.

The supporting data behind the Integrated System Plan, released by the Australian Energy Market Operator today, shows that the National Energy Market could be almost 85% renewable by 2040, with only 7.25 GW of coal power – the equivalent of about 6 large-scale plants – left in Australia by 2040.

If you’re ‘technology agnostic’ you’re committing a climate crime: Bandt

Greens Acting Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the myth peddled by Malcolm Turnbull and the ACCC that energy policy should be "technology agnostic" is committing a climate crime.

“When it comes to electricity, if you’re “technology agnostic” you’re committing a climate crime. Coal kills. Renewables don’t,” said Mr Bandt.

“To prevent dangerous global warming, we need to get out of coal and into renewables.

ACCC diagnoses energy ‘market’ broken, but prescription will make problems worse: Bandt

Greens Acting Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the ACCC report shows that treating electricity like a stockmarket has failed, but that it calls for more of the same in the vain hope of a different outcome. Mr Bandt also said the government must rule out the ACCC’s proposals to axe support for rooftop solar and to provide new public funds to gas- and coal-fired power stations

Greens launch push for parliamentary commission of inquiry into the failures of deregulation and privatisation of electricity retailers.

Greens Acting Leader and energy spokesperson, Adam Bandt MP, today announced that the Greens will introduce a bill into both the Senate and the House of Representatives to establish a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the excessive profiteering and the failure of deregulation and privatisation of the retail electricity sector. 

Abbott channelling Trump to sabotage NEG: Bandt

Greens Acting Leader and climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today slammed Tony Abbott for calling on the government to abandon the Paris Agreement. Bandt said that Abbott’s comments coincide with a push from the coal-hugging National party to establish a $5 billion coal fund, both of which are designed to sabotage the NEG. Bandt is demanding that Josh Frydenberg provide all details of the government’s energy package before the upcoming COAG meeting in August.

Grattan report shows market era is over for electricity: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the report released by The Grattan Institute shows the consequences of running the electricity grid like a stockmarket, instead of as a public good. Bandt called on the government to take immediate action to re-introduce regulated electricity prices and to support a Greens push to bring the electricity grid back into public hands.

Bandt introduces bill to lift minimum wage

Alinta misleading consumers shows why we need to re-regulate electricity prices: Bandt

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that Alinta’s conduct shows what happens when electricity is run for profit rather than for the public good.

“When you treat an essential service like a stockmarket, companies put profit before the public interest,” said Mr Bandt.

“Big power companies have been making a motzah selling what should be an essential service.

Re-regulation of prices needed to fix power mess: Greens

Greens climate change and energy spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that the latest AEMC report provides further evidence that the privatisation of electricity has failed, and re-regulating power prices is the only way to stop big power companies from making mega-profits out of providing what should be an essential service.

“Power companies have taken an essential service and turned it into a stockmarket. As a result, the public is getting fleeced,” said Mr Bandt.