I welcome the engagement of young Novocastrians in today’s student strike for real action on climate change. I look forward to meeting student representatives and hearing their concerns directly. 

These students should be congratulated for getting active on the issues that matter. If more young people engaged in the political process, the Liberal Government mightn’t be so cavalier in selling out their future and the future of our planet.

In the last five years, the Liberal Government has not only failed to deliver any energy policy, but they’ve also tried to dismantle every mechanism Australia has to reduce emissions and stem climate change.

Under the former Labor Government, emissions dropped by more than 10 per cent, but since the Liberals took over, they’ve risen year-on-year with no end in sight.   

Only a Shorten Labor Government will take real action on climate change, and reduce carbon pollution in line with our plan for a minimum of 50 per cent renewables by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. We will also invest $10 billion in renewable energy projects and deliver rebates of $2,000 for households to buy energy-saving battery systems.

Labor’s plan sets a floor on renewables but I have every confidence our suite of strong climate policies and huge investment in renewables will ensure we overshoot this target significantly.

Renewables are already an attractive and affordable energy option, but Labor’s massive investment will reduce prices even further, making new fossil fuel investment increasingly unviable. 

This will catapult Australia into a new age of renewable energy which will reduce emissions, lower power prices and create tens of thousands of new jobs.

With the global rise in renewables, coal will fall, and this will have an enormous impact on communities in our region. That’s why Labor also focusses on affected communities – establishing a just transition authority to ensure no worker gets left behind.