Liberal states in talks to revive Turnbull's dumped energy policy

Liberal states are caucusing in an attempt to revive Malcolm Turnbull’s ditched national energy guarantee (Neg), or an energy policy with similar characteristics, ahead of a meeting with the federal energy minister, Angus Taylor, expected in late July.

The energy sector wants the
Morrison government to implement
a policy that integrates emissions
 reduction – as the Neg did.

Guardian Australia understands there have been discussions between New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania with a view to rebooting the policy Scott Morrison dumped after taking the leadership from Turnbull last August.

The states are under intense pressure from stakeholders to try to revive the Neg – which has widespread support in the energy sector and from energy users – to create a framework that will give investors certainty.

The energy sector, which has a fractious relationship with Taylor, has also ramped up public calls after the election for the Morrison government to implement an energy policy that integrates emissions reduction – as the Neg did.

Read the story from The Guardian by Katharine Murphy - “Liberal states in talks to revive Turnbull's dumped energy policy.”

‘Taylor was sweating blood': States revolt at energy meeting

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor has faced a "full-on revolt" at a meeting of state energy ministers after he killed the NSW government's push for a new national energy and emissions policy.

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor sidestepped
questions over NSW's split with the government over
 energy and emissions policy.CREDIT:

The backlash then continued after Mr Taylor pushed for a national regulated standard electricity price despite advice from the energy market rule maker it could raise power bills.

"[Mr] Taylor was sweating blood," one insider at the meeting said.

Read the story from The Sydney Morning Herald by Col Latimer - “‘Taylor was sweating blood': States revolt at energy meeting.”

Emissions policy is under attack from all sides. We’ve been here before, and it rarely ends well

Federal energy minister Josh Frydenberg is battling to steer a course for his National Energy Guarantee (NEG) through choppy political waters, ahead of a crucial meeting this Friday on whether to adopt the policy.

Josh Frydenberg and Malcolm Turnbull both know that
 the history books make for uncomfortable reading
when it comes to emissions policy.

Since 2014 and the demise of Julia Gillard’s carbon pricing scheme, Australia has been in a well-documented period of policy paralysis (although “mayhem” may be more accurate). Former prime minister Tony Abbott signed off on a 26-28% emissions reduction target to take to the 2015 Paris climate summit (despite later claiming to have been misled by his advisors), and his successor Malcolm Turnbull ratified it as part of the resulting global treaty.

In late 2016, Frydenberg’s suggestion that an emissions intensity scheme could help meet the target survived for a mere 24 hours before dying in a Sydney fish market. Next, the Clean Energy Target proposed by chief scientist Alan Finkel proved too hard for the Coalition to get behind.

Read Marc Hudson’s thoughts on The Conversation (also published in today’s Age) - “Emissions policy is under attack from all sides. We’ve been here before, and it rarely ends well.”