Budget 2018 Fails Renewables
Last night’s Federal Budget backs old, polluting technology instead of fast-tracking a fair transition to renewable energy by supporting Australians who want to go solar, according to advocacy organisation Solar Citizens.
Solar Citizens are concerned that the Treasurer mocked measures to transition to renewable energy in his speech, ignoring the important role of solar households and attacking sensible renewable energy targets.
“When the Turnbull Government attacks renewable energy, they’re attacking the 5 million plus Australians who live under a solar roof and want to see Australia powered by clean, renewable energy,” said Joseph Scales, National Director at Solar Citizens.
The Treasurer confirmed in his speech that from 2020 the government will phase out support for households to go solar.
“Rooftop solar is the only guaranteed way to take back control of your power bills while doing your bit for the environment, it’s staggering that with record high power bills the government wants to make it harder for people to get solar.
“This budget seeks to lock us into a National Energy Guarantee which will slam the brakes on the clean energy boom that is boosting jobs and investment across Australia.
“It’s pretty rich for the Treasurer to ask us to rely on the big energy corporations to give us a “better deal” when they’ve been making billions of dollars in profit from household power bills.
“This budget was a missed opportunity for renewable energy and to support households, it failed to provide any new measures to allow for the take-up of solar and undermined existing measures,” said Mr Scales.
Solar Citizens is calling on all political parties to support a fast, fair transition to renewable energy and to help low-income households, people who live in apartments and renters be able to access the benefits of rooftop solar.
Media contact: Stephanie 0425543006
