Responding to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s plans to spend $50m on gas supply and plan a gas power station in the Hunter Valley, Nature Conservation Council Chief Executive Chris Gambian said:
“The Prime Minister has thrown his own “technology neutral” energy policy out the window, and is locking Australia into burning expensive, polluting gas.”
“This is not a climate safe plan, and Australians will pay a very high cost if the government doesn’t wake up and start choosing clean options.
“Locking in more gas will just heat the planet, making bushfires and heatwaves worse.”
“We call on the Prime Minister to consider clean options for back-up power supply, like grid scale batteries and pumped hydro”
“The time for building new fossil fuel power plants is long past.
“After the bushfire summer from hell that we just lived through, it is clear we cannot afford to delay.
“We urge all companies and governments to lift their level of ambition so Australia has 100% clean energy by 2030.”