Business pushing states to agree on energy

Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott has urged state and territory governments to back a federal plan on power prices.

Business Council of Australia chief Jennifer Westacott

Business Council of Australia chief Jennifer Westacott. Source: AAP

The Business Council of Australia has called on Australia to end a decade of dysfunction on energy policy by backing the Turnbull government's plan to cut power prices.

BCA chief executive Jennifer Westacott made the plea to state and territory governments ahead of Friday's meeting with federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg.

She said Australia was seen globally as a "nation of ditherers" for failing to have a coherent energy policy.

"We need to end this decade of dysfunction and get on and do something," Ms Westacott told Sky News on Sunday.

"The people we've got to remember are the people who are going to get a power bill in the next month or so that they can't pay."

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews wants the federal government to prove it can win support within the coalition partyroom before agreeing to back the national energy guarantee.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott is among a group of backbenchers critical of the plan, with the rogue MPs pushing for new government investment in coal-fired power generation.

"I think we're right to say we want the prime minister to demonstrate he's got the numbers in his own show before we start signing anything," Mr Andrews told reporters in Melbourne on Sunday.

He said the reforms would see Victoria and other states partially give up authority to set renewable energy targets.

Ms Westacott took aim at arguments from rogue backbenchers hinting at opposing the plan, as well as green groups agitating for more dramatic emission reduction commitments.

"You end up doing nothing because you can't please all those extremes of the debate," she said.

Energy Security Board, the guarantee's designer, released modelling last week showing households could save up to $550 a year on power bills under the plan.

The ESB forecast the amount of coal in the energy generation mix falling from 75 per cent to 60 per cent over the next 11 years, while renewables will grow from 17 per cent to 36 per cent.


Share
2 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world