‘Irrepressible’ pressure mounting on government for major green energy policy

A major investment in jobs and policy overhaul on climate change from the Coalition Government is imminent, activists and lobby groups say.

Pressure is mounting on the Coalition Government to invest in a major green energy plan, with groups from across the political spectrum declaring an investment is imminent to help propel the economy out of the virus crisis.

Once the iconic divide between conservative and progressive politicians, activists and lobby groups say the need for action on climate change has reached a boiling point with the evidence of environmental damage being undeniable.

They say a steady stream of economic modelling produced this year overshadows any ideological debate, revealing a major fiscal advantage combined with much-needed job creation.

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Coalition for Conservation is a not-for-profit lobby group that debates centre right ideas pushing for the Morrison Government to invest in renewable energy infrastructure projects and retrofit homes with sustainable energy supply.

It has gained momentum in recent months holding events with influential figures including former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and is evidence of the groundswell of climate conscious voices among conservative Australians.

“The pressure is growing and the larger picture is a lot of the Coalition members, Liberals and Nationals, do support this transition and understand it ultimately will happen,” the group’s chair Cristina Talacko told news.com.au.

“It’s not a question of debating the ideology behind climate anymore, we’ve gone totally past that, now it’s about what’s good for Australia, what’s going to give us resilience because we don’t want the droughts and the bushfires.

“For the prosperity and the future, to become more climate resilient we have to look at clean technologies.”

Major renewable energy projects are the future of the economy, experts say. Picture: Marie Nirme

The push rides a wave of momentum from various economic modelling released in the last few months, most notably the Climate Council’s Clean Jobs Plan and Beyond Zero Emissions’ Million Jobs Plan.

Both focus on a wide-ranging policy approach to boost the nation’s workforce by focusing on areas including energy, building, manufacturing, transport and recycling.

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie said calls for a green energy policy overhaul is coming from most segments of the community but insists there are still hurdles within the party led by Scott Morrison, who once famously brandished a lump of coal during Question Time.

“There are a few dinosaurs in federal parliament but the amount of support that’s now coming from state governments, from business, and from industry will be irrepressible,” she told news.com.au.

Ms McKenzie said news this week of miners BHP and BlueScope joining a group of Australian companies committing to lowering carbon emissions under the banner Energy Transmission Network is evidence of the shifting approach.

“This (pressure) is coming from all of those that traditionally would have been avoiding action on climate change,” she said.

“The Coalition does look like the odd one out, the only one left that’s not pursuing the transition.”

Energy Minister Angus Taylor is widely expected to commit to a green energy plan. Picture: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

Ms Talacko said she’s “very confident” the government will commit to an environmentally sustainable plan, though doubts it will take the form of a publicised stimulus announcement like a JobKeeper or JobSeeker.

“The government will put in place a framework to restore the economy wisely, and that clean energy will play a huge part in this,” she said.

“I do believe there will be something coming and hopefully soon.”

Ms McKenzie said any pending overhaul needed to be a mixture of stimulus and government policy.

“There needs to be additional spending but what we’ve found in our research is that a $1 of public money unlocks at least $1 of private money across the board in terms of these clean jobs solutions,” she said.

“It’s partly about spending public money to mobilise private capital and get the economy moving.”