Bill Shorten accused of scavenging out of the Coalition’s rubbish bin

Bill Shorten has been accused of scavenging out of the Coalition’s rubbish bin as lefties rally against Labor’s energy policy.

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Bill Shorten has been accused of scavenging out of the Coalition’s rubbish bin as lefties rally against Labor’s energy policy.

But in a bid to shore-up the party’s green credentials Labor’s energy spokesman Mark Butler yesterday hinted that the Opposition will revive a carbon tax by putting a price on pollution in the gas, transport and manufacturing sectors.

Labor risks losing two Victorian seats to the Greens at the next federal election and is now facing a campaign against it on climate change from activist group GetUp!

Bill Shorten has been accused of scavenging out of the Coalition’s rubbish bin. Picture: AAP Image/Ben Rushton

Mr Shorten has been forced to walk a delicate line on energy policy to keep climate sceptics in party’s right wing on side while appeasing the left leading to the “timid” policy.

The Opposition leader yesterday wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking to work together to implement the dumped National Energy Guarantee.

While conceding the NEG was “not the scheme that we would have designed”, Mr Shorten offered no alternative to legislate an emissions reduction target.

Greens climate change spokesman Adam Bandt said Labor’s plan was a capitulation to Tony Abbott and that the Opposition had scavenged the NEG from the Liberals’ rubbish bin.

“Labor’s timid energy plan is a polluter’s dream and will keep coal in the system for decades, much longer than the world’s scientists are saying is needed to avoid climate breakdown,” he said.

Adam Bandt called Labor’s energy plan “timid”. Picture: AAP Image/Penny Stephens

GetUp! campaigns director Sam Regester said Labor’s policy was “out of step”.

“GetUp along with the majority of Australians is concerned for the health of our planet, wants real climate action and leadership to drive investment in clean energy,” he said.

“Our members will judge parties on the policies they take to the election on this key issue.” While spruiking Labor’s plan to hand 100,000 households $2000 toward a battery to backup solar power, Mr Butler flagged further climate change policy announcements which could put a price on carbon.

“I’m in deep discussions with the manufacturing sector, the LNG sector, companies like Woodside, about a sort of emissions trading scheme that would operate for those industries that will do the job, at lowest cost, in bringing carbon pollution down,” he told the ABC.

“We’ll have more to say about that in coming weeks.”

Mr Shorten also announced Labor would hand $10 billion to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to massively expand investment in renewable energy projects.

Labor would also establish renewable energy zones across Australia which would be connected to the grid using a new $5 billion fund to upgrade Australia’s transmission network including a new power cord to plug NSW directly into SA.