Four states strike out on their own to build a clean energy target without the Commonwealth

South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory have effectively declared no confidence in the federal government as it grapples with the question of whether to set up a clean energy target, deciding to go it alone and ask the Australian Energy Market Commission to draw up plans for one.

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg speaks during a COAG Energy Council meeting in Brisbane on Friday.

The clean energy target was the only recommendation of 50 made by chief scientist Alan Finkel not to be adopted unanimously when the state and Commonwealth energy ministers met in Brisbane on Friday.

The communique noted that the Commonwealth was still "carefully considering" the target and said the four states would separately ask the Commission to design a target as they were entitled to under its rules.

Read Peter Martin’s story in the Melbourne Age -  “Four states strike out on their own to build a clean energy target without the Commonwealth.”