LIBERAL MPs FEAR ABBOTT'S WAR ON WINDFARMS

Media Release

Mark Butler MP.

Shadow Minister for Environment
 Climate Change and Water

Date:  27 July 2015

Liberal MPs are now openly begging Tony Abbott to stop his attacks on the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), knowing that the Prime Minister’s irresponsible attacks on renewable energy are risking jobs and investment in their electorates. 

Sarah Henderson, Liberal MP for Corangamite, has been forced to write to Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, requesting the Minister remove the investment mandate issued to the CEFC a few weeks ago banning the them from investing in small-scale solar and wind energy projects. 

Ms Henderson says her electorate is “extremely supportive” of renewable energy - unlike the Prime Minister. 

“Sarah Henderson knows how popular renewable energy is, not just in Corangamite, but all around Australia,” Shadow Minister for Climate Change Mark Butler said. 

“But every Liberal MP is part of the problem - they represent a Government that has done thing but attack renewable energy and risk jobs and investment. 

“Tony Abbott is just so blinded by his own hatred for renewable energy that he’s unable to see the damage his attack is doing to the margins of his backbenchers.” 

Labor has called on the Government to release the full details of the investment mandate issued to the CEFC. The CEFC was established by the former Labor Government to facilitate stable lending markets for renewable energy projects. 

Tony Abbott has twice tried, and failed, to abolish the CEFC in the Senate. His new approach is to strangle the CEFC so that it is unable to conduct its business. 

Under a Shorten Labor Government, 50 per cent of Australia’s electricity will be generated from renewable sources by 2030. Labor has also recommitted to the CEFC and Australian Renewable Energy Agency.