Julia Gillard's climate 'plan': more talk while icecaps melt

Jess Moore's climate plan: boost public investment in renewables now

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday July 28 - 'Julia Gillard's "new" climate policy is the same as it was under Kevin Rudd: more talk, and inaction', said Jess Moore, Socialist Alliance candidate for Cunningham.

'But delay is denial. The climate crisis demands urgent action now. As Julia Gillard herself said in 2008: "Climate change is the biggest social and economic challenge of our generation. The science is overwhelming and after years of inaction, we can no longer sit on our hands and hope that the problem goes away".

'That’s why I and the Socialist Alliance support a comprehensive plan for stripping carbon emissions out of power generation, like Zero Carbon Australia’s 10-year stationary energy plan (see http://media.beyondzeroemissions.org/ZCA2020_Stationary_Energy_Report_v1.pdf). Immediate large-scale public investment for 100% renewable energy by 2020 is not only essential but would create jobs.'

Moore, a leading renewable energy campaigner in Wollongong, added: 'On July 23, Labor - equally frightened of offending the big polluters and losing marginal seats - joined the Coalition in producing more pretend climate policy, like:

• New coal-fired power stations having to be “ready” to capture carbon-dioxide when 15 coal-fired stations are on line in NSW alone and commercial Carbon Capture and Storage technology doesn’t exist;
  
• $1 billion over 10 years to upgrade Australia's electricity grid for renewable energy when the full cost of the job is about $90 billion;
• Cutting $520 million from renewable energy programs to fund a ‘cash-for-clunkers’ scheme - a handout to the polluting car industry!'

Moore stressed: 'According to Gillard Australia now needs a "citizens assembly" to create a consensus about the seriousness of global warming. This is nonsense! It's a delay tactic that benefits the big polluters while selling out our future.

'The vast majority of Australians want to see a quick transition to climate sustainability. The sticking point is - who’s going to pay the bill.

'But it’s easy to find the resources if we want to. For example, the Zero Carbon Australia plan could be funded by cuts to wasteful military expenditure, subsidies to polluters and private schools and by taxing the corporate polluters and billionaires. This approach would also answer Coalition scare campaigns about "a great big new tax on everything".'

Moore concluded: 'The big parties are selling out our future at this election. People should vote for a climate policy based on the polluters paying and with boosted public investment in renewables at its heart.

'We should also mobilise and demand real action. The August 14 Walk Against Warming provides a great opportunity to do just that.'