Coalition whipped for policy akin to ‘horse and buggy’
The coalition’s energy policy of keeping coal power plants open and pushing aside renewables has been likened to fighting against gravity and returning to the cart.
Liberal leader Sussan Ley and her Nationals counterpart David Littleproud outlined the coalition’s new policy on Sunday, focusing on affordability rather than emissions reductions.
Moving away from renewable energy by keeping coal power plants open and financing energy investments, including coal and gas, with taxpayers’ funds are the main tenets of the coalition’s policy after abandoning the net-zero emissions target.
The change in energy policy comes as new opinion polls show coalition supporters shifting towards One Nation and Labor, with Ms Ley’s popularity falling to a record low.
“Our plan secures Australia’s energy future by putting affordability first,” Ms Ley told reporters in Sydney.
He said the coalition was still trying to reduce carbon emissions, but not at the expense of family or business budgets.
Griffith University Associate Professor Joel Gilmore, an energy systems expert and member of the pro-renewable energy Climate Council, said net zero was the best way to reduce energy costs.
“It’s very clear that relying on coal and gas will be more expensive than renewables,” he told AAP.
“Fighting against net zero is fighting against gravity.”
The coalition’s policy includes opposition to temporary emissions reduction targets, as well as various Labor policies to reduce emissions.
These include a conservation mechanism to limit emissions of major pollutants and a plan designed to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.
Prof Gilmore said Australia competed with many international markets for investment, so anything that harmed the certainty of investment would increase costs.
He said the Coalition’s support for coal was concerning in terms of the harmful effects of climate change and was not consistent with Australia’s commitments to the Paris climate accords.
“It’s ridiculous to say we could go back to coal any more than we could go back to horses and buggies,” Prof Gilmore said.
He said the installation of solar rooftop panels and batteries on homes and the purchase of electric vehicles have already demonstrated the benefits of these technologies in reducing costs.
The poll, published by the Australian Financial Review on Sunday night, found the coalition’s primary vote fell five points in a month to a record low of 24 per cent, while One Nation gained four points to 18 per cent and Labor gained four points to 38 per cent.
In the survey conducted with the participation of 1011 voters, the rate of voters who preferred Ley as prime minister was only 10 percent, while Anthony Albanese’s rate was 40 percent.
Mr Albanese said the coalition’s “uncertainty” on energy and climate policy would put increasing pressure on energy prices.
“If anyone thinks there is any certainty that the coalition will move forward, then they are not paying any attention to the rabble and clown show that the coalition has become when it comes to energy policy and climate policy,” he told reporters in Melbourne.
In the last two federal elections, the Liberal Party lost inner-city seats to independent candidates focused on climate action.
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