‘Back NEG or face blackouts’, Frydenberg tells states

STATES will push off the make-or-break decision on whether Australia gets a national energy policy until October - but in a win for the Turnbull Government all ministers have agreed to take the National Energy Guarantee to the next stage.

STATES will push off the make-or-break decision on whether Australia gets a national energy policy until October.

But in a win for the Turnbull Government all ministers have agreed to take the National Energy Guarantee to the next stage.

“We have a collective responsibility to see cheaper, more reliable and cleaner power for Australian families and businesses,” Josh Frydenberg said.

Despite not securing binding support from the states, draft state laws that would set up the NEG will be released for public consultation following a phone hook up on Tuesday.

It will come after the Coalition party room thrashes out its position on the national emissions reduction target - the most divisive part of the national energy debate.

Kerry Schott, chair of the Energy Security Board which designed the NEG, said this was a “great step forward” despite not securing binding support from the states.

Earlier, Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg said households and businesses faced a greater risk of blackouts if state and territory governments didn’t back the NEG.

Speaking at the beginning of the five-hour meeting, Mr Frydenberg said the nation needed to take the NEG forward.

RELATED: $3b into climate tax that has achieved nothing

“We have a collective responsibility to see cheaper, more reliable and cleaner power for Australian families and businesses,” he said.

“It’s not our job to relitigate the mistakes of the past but rather to provide the solutions for the future.

“Australian eyes are on this room today and what happens here matters around every Australian kitchen table and every Australian factory floor.”