Antinuclear

Christine Milne calls on progressive industry to counter the fear campaign against renewable energy

Milne interview: Time for progressive industry to stand up REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson  16 April 2012 Newly elected Greens leader Christine Milne says it is time for “progressive industry” to stand up and be counted as the debate over the carbon price and complementary measures such as the Renewable Energy Target, the Clean Energy Finance Corp  and other measures takes a worrying course.

The Tasmania Senator said in an interview with RenewEconomy that she plans to paint a vision of a low carbon economy that can thrive beyond the inevitable end of the mining boom, but it essential that progressive companies countered the fear campaign against clean energy policies launched by established industry groups.

“I think (these companies) are wondering if Tony Abbott will win the next election and if he does, and they put their heads above the parapet now, that will somehow deny them access or cache with a Coalition government,” Milne said. “But as I say to them, this is the time to stand up and fight for the frameworks necessary for your business.”

Milne also said she would be closely watching the contents of the Clean Energy Finance Corp, for fear that it’s mandate will be “too conservative.”

Here is an edited transcript of the interview:

……..(Milne)  – It is a big challenge. But I think there is a real yearning for someone to articulate a vision for Australia that is beyond the mining boom. I think most people realize that the boom will come to an end, that it is not sustainable to talk about a future for Australia which is just about digging it up, cutting it down and shipping it away, and there’s a level of anxiety about where the jobs will come from, what opportunities will there be for my children, how I will be employed into the future when the mining boom comes to an end. There is a lot of concern that Australia is going the way of other places, with increasing levels of inequality and small numbers are benefiting from the boom enormously and the rest are suffering, and there is not much vision as to how to address that. So I think that at one level it is hard, but at another level there is a yearning to hear that there is a bright future and someone needs to paint it for me…..

….Well, there is a concerted campaign from those who want to destroy renewable energy in Australia who say that now we have a carbon price then we should ditch all complementary measures including the RET. That has been there from the start which is why throughout the negotiation I said we needed a carbon price plus, plus, plus, including the RET and the CEFC and I continue to say that……

What I hear around Australia is that people are really pleased about the Carbon Farming Initiative and the Coalition said it won’t repeal that, it has also said it won’t repeal the RET. ….. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2012/milne-interview-time-for-progressive-industry-to-stand-up-16436

April 16, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News