Greens criticise Labor for putting $50m into new coal
Victorian Greens spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change, Ellen Sandell has criticised the state and federal governments for spending $50 million a piece to prop up the dying coal industry.
Today the Andrews and Turnbull Government agreed to each spend $50 million of public money to use more brown coal in the Latrobe Valley in a coal-to-hydrogen project.
Quotes attributable to Ellen Sandell:
"Daniel Andrews can't pretend to care about climate change at the same time as he's standing next to Malcolm Turnbull, announcing $100 million to prop up Victoria's dirty, dying coal industry.
"Labor and the federal government's' obsession with brown coal totally undermines our renewable energy industry. We have the resources to deliver 100 percent renewable energy from wind, solar and other renewables, but we have a Labor Government in bed with the Turnbull Liberals on handing our public money to prop up the coal industry".
"This is an extremely irresponsible decision by Daniel Andrews that provides false hope for the people of the Latrobe Valley and will create more coal pollution. The public are screaming out for a long-term plan for clean, cheap and secure energy, and Daniel Andrews and Malcolm Turnbull are not listening."
As part of their state budget submission, the Victorian Greens are calling for the development of a fund to transition to 100 percent renewable energy in the next ten years, including phasing out coal-fired power stations, putting solar and batteries on every Victorian school, and providing a long term plan for communities to transition to new economic opportunities.