Bill Shorten: power industry needs future jobs plan

OPPOSITION leader Bill Shorten says he’s not a ‘rampant greenie’ and believes coal has a place in Australia’s future.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says there needs to be a plan for workers as the power industry is modernised. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

BILL Shorten insists he’s not a “rampant greenie” and believes coal has a place in Australia’s future.

The Opposition leader on Monday visited Victoria’s Latrobe Valley, where the Hazelwood coal-fired power station is set to close in early 2017.

“I am not a rampant ‘greenie’ who thinks there is no place for fossil fuel in our energy mix in the future,” Mr Shorten told reporters, adding the Government needed a plan to find jobs for workers as the power industry modernised.

“They need to make the power companies understand this should be a transition for the workforce affected by change,” the Labor leader said.

“Haven’t they learnt anything from the American election results — where you abandon hard working, working class communities and provide no support for them, that is when people get angry at mainstream politics.”

Mr Shorten suggested a system of voluntary redundancy for workers at the end of their career, and took the opportunity to push for the Government to “prioritise building Australian, buying Australian and employing Australian”.

He added if Australia was to take action on climate change, it would need greater support for renewable energy.

Australia will review its policies on energy and climate next year after the Government last week ratified the Paris agreement, which commits countries to work towards limiting global warming to two degrees and set five-yearly targets for cutting emissions.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and Environment Minister Josh Frydenburg are in Marrakesh this week for UN talks on climate change.