States unite to push Libs on climate target

The Turnbull government is facing new demands to give ground on the climate change target that underpins its National Energy Guarantee, as Labor states negotiate a joint position to force changes to the scheme at a crucial meeting next week.

Minister for Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg
 and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Labor governments in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT are brokering a new list of demands to be unveiled next week to ensure a future federal government has more scope to make deeper cuts to greenhouse gas emissions over the decade ahead.

With the federal policy hanging in the balance, the united stance is aimed at maximising pressure on Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg to go much further than his latest proposal for a review of the target in 2024.

Read the story by David Crowe from The Age - “States unite to push Libs on climate target.”

Labor states clash with federal government over national emissions scheme

Labor states say they will withhold final support for a landmark national plan to merge climate and energy policy until the federal Coalition guarantees a future government will not be blocked from ratcheting up carbon savings.

ACT Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury has
been the most vocal opponent of the policy.

The nation's energy ministers converged in Melbourne on Friday for an eagerly anticipated meeting to decide the future of the package, known as the national energy guarantee, which promises to end a decade-long political deadlock on energy policy.

Read the story from The Age by Nicole Hasham and Peter Hannam - “Labor states clash with federal government over national emissions scheme.”

Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg says energy deal is close

Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg is confident of striking a deal with the states on a national plan to merge climate and energy policy, but remains adamant he won't yield to demands by some Labor states to raise emission reduction targets.

Josh Frydenberg, Minister for Environment and Energy.

The nation’s energy ministers will meet at a Council of Australian Governments meeting on Friday to thrash out the future of the federal government’s national energy guarantee (NEG), and are expected to agree to move on to the final design stage of a deal.

Mr Frydenberg was the last of the COAG leaders to arrive for a pre-gathering dinner on Thursday night at Cecconi's, an up-market Italian restaurant on Melbourne's Flinders Lane.

Read Nicole Hasham’s story from The Age - “Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg says energy deal is close.”

No resolution on energy after COAG meeting, but Government remains confident in National Energy Guarantee

Josh Frydenberg said the COAG ministers
had acted in the "national interest".

The Federal Government has managed to fend off an attempt by some Labor states to derail its new energy policy.

But energy ministers will not meet to discuss how to structure the Coalition's National Energy Guarantee (NEG) for five months, which means a national agreement on energy is still several months away.

South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have been leading the charge against the NEG, arguing it would hurt the renewable energy industry without helping drive down power prices.

Read Stephen Dziedzic’s ABC News story - “No resolution on energy after COAG meeting, but Government remains confident in National Energy Guarantee.”

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was accused of peddling 'ignorant rubbish' by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was
 accused of peddling 'ignorant rubbish'
by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Clean energy providers, including market giant AGL, have called for more certainty in government policy amid warnings the fight over renewables between the Turnbull Government and Labor states will drive investment out of Australia.

The category-five political storm unleashed by this week's statewide blackout in South Australia worsened on Friday, with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews accusing Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of peddling "ignorant rubbish" by linking Wednesday's failure with that state's aggressive embrace of renewable energy.

Mr Turnbull returned serve, accusing Mr Andrews' government of "distorting the electricity market" through ambitious targets at the expense of energy security.

The Prime Minister, who noted that his Point Piper home had a "roof full of solar panels" and was a supporter of renewables, said business in South Australia was struggling to maintain investment growth and jobs due to the most expensive wholesale electricity.

Read Heath Aston’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was accused of peddling 'ignorant rubbish' by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews