Clean Energy Future Plan

Thursday, 14 July 2011

On Sunday, the Prime Minister unveiled how Australia will seize its clean energy future.

Putting a price on pollution is a historic Labor reform, and it is an important one for Western Australia.

WA is increasingly experiencing extreme weather, and the South West is drying at an alarming rate.

There is no doubt that we need to take action to address these problems, while protecting jobs and households.

The rest of the world is already taking action, and our economy and environment will be badly damaged unless Australia acts too.

That’s why Labor has launched its Clean Energy Future Plan.

Beginning on 01 July 2012, Australia’s 500 biggest polluters will be required to pay $23 for each tonne of pollution they put into our atmosphere.

That price will rise by 2.5 per cent a year in real terms during a three-year fixed price period until 01 July 2015. The mechanism then transitions to an emissions trading scheme.

You can find all the details of the Plan, and estimate your household assistance, here.

Labor’s plan is necessary because it will cut carbon pollution and drive investment in clean energy technologies like solar, gas and wind power. It will help build the clean energy future that our kids and grandkids deserve.

The plan will create enormous opportunities here in WA.

Carnegie Wave Energy Ltd, a WA based company developing cutting edge wave energy technology off Fremantle, has already publicly welcomed the decision to price carbon.

The Mid West is also strategically placed to make the most of these investments, with WA’s largest renewable energy project, the Walkaway Wind Farm, located just south of Geraldton.

Pricing carbon will create economic incentives for the biggest polluters to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases, while limiting the pain for families.

Colin Barnett could learn a lot from Labor’s plan. Since his Government came to office, he has increased electricity prices by more than 50 per cent, and yet he has not once provided assistance to pensioners and low income earners.

In contrast, Labor knows how difficult cost of living pressures can be.

That’s why we’re providing 9 out of 10 households with the assistance they need to cope with any cost increases.

In total, more than 515,200 people in WA will receive household assistance and taxpayers in WA with annual income of under $80,000 will all get a tax cut, with most receiving at least $300 per year.

That includes more than 280,000 WA pensioners and 164,300 WA families who will receive compensation in their pension and family assistance payments.

Labor knows that pricing carbon is good for WA’s environment and our economy, and we need all hands on deck to win this important reform and work towards a prosperous and safe climate future for Australia.

Geoff Gallop in his opinion piece this week argued "What will also be required is a formidable campaign in the service of our public interest as a nation today and in the future."

Click here to find all the resources you need to understand and support this crucial reform.

Best wishes

Louise