Australian businesses have had their brief optimism of a bipartisan approach to energy policy dashed by the prime minister.
Labor has thrown its weight behind the coalition's dumped National Energy Guarantee, leaving business leaders briefly hopeful of an end to the decade-long climate wars in Australia.
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Business Council of Australia are both eager for a solution to the nation's energy woes.
"We have consistently called on all sides of the political divide to support the NEG to end the policy paralysis that has stalled much-needed investment," BCA chief Jennifer Westacott said.
However, the prime minister is refusing to back Labor's plan.
When asked why he would not support the NEG, given he had consistently argued for months it would lower power prices, Mr Morrison deflected to the opposition's plans for household batteries.
He likened the idea to Kevin Rudd's disastrous insulation scheme.
"They've learnt nothing, absolutely nothing," Mr Morrison told the Nine Network on Friday.
But Labor has also shifted its stance, with leader Bill Shorten previously describing the NEG as a "Frankenstein's monster" and "a joke" of a policy.
The South Australian Liberal government has recently announced its own household battery subsidy scheme, which Mr Shorten has used to hoist his policy up to the coalition.
Under Labor's plan, subsidies of up to $2000 would be given to 100,000 households to install batteries to link their solar panels, which cost about $10,000 each.
Mr Morrison pointed out high-end Tesla batteries cost more than $12,350.
"What families in Australia on the incomes they're talking about have a lazy $20,000 hanging around to go and put these things in?"
The prime minister said the NEG would lower power prices with a carbon emission reduction target of 26 per cent - not the 45 per cent target proposed by Labor.
"A 45 per cent target is reckless, it will shut down industries all around the country," Mr Morrison said.
But Mr Shorten says Australia has the potential to develop renewable industries and job opportunities, with lithium, wind and sunshine in high abundance.
Although the National Farmers' Federation supports Labor's plan to transition Australia's economy towards more renewables, the organisation says a "strategic pace" is needed.
The NFF supports the NEG's minimum goal of 26 per cent emissions reduction on 2005 levels, CEO Tony Mahar says.
Labor would also invest $15 billion in energy transmission and generation.
Meanwhile, the coalition has angered the business community with its plans to force energy retailers to sell off assets and restructure their companies if it is deemed in the public interest.
The Business Council of Australia has warned the "ad hoc and extreme" divestiture powers would exacerbate sovereign risk, interfere with market outcomes and discourage investment.
