The Greens have challenged Labor to support its bill to establish a National Energy Transition Authority.
The party's National Energy Transition Authority Bill 2022, introduced by Queensland Senator Penny Allman-Payne this week, calls for the establishment of an independent public authority to guide Australia's shift from an fossil fuel-based economy to one powered by low-cost renewable energy.
By providing national coordination, expert advice and funding, the authority will work with communities, workers, unions, energy companies and governments to plan the pipeline of clean energy projects, creating secure jobs and opening up new export markets while pushing down power prices.
"We know from similar energy transition bodies in Europe that if you plan the transition, workers can move into new well-paid jobs, be redeployed through industry-wide pooling or benefit from early retirement," Senator Allman-Payne said.
"The only thing standing in the way of the creation of a National Energy Transition Authority is the Labor Party. Labor has said they will consider the Greens' proposal, but we think they should listen to what workers, unions, businesses and their own members are saying and commit to backing our bill."
During negotiations on the Climate Change Bill the government agreed to consider the Greens' proposal for a transition authority, a body that has the support of coal and gas workers and communities, unions, climate and energy experts, businesses and Labor members.
From next week Senator Allman-Payne will host a series of roundtables and public forums in the Hunter, the Latrobe Valley and Gladstone to discuss the bill with stakeholders and community members.
They include a roundtable at the Gillieston Heights Community Hub at 6pm next Friday.
The authority will draw on a Diversifying Coal Communities Fund of $2.8 billion over 10 years, which will approve and fund local plans across the nation, developed by regionally based transition bodies in partnership with the authority.
It will support communities and workers affected by the closure of coal and gas extraction and power generation. It will also help attract new public and private investment in job-creating industries and social infrastructure to affected areas.
The NETA board will be composed of experts in energy, workplace planning and engineering, along with worker representatives, and will be responsible for developing strategic plans to manage the energy transition.
The authority will be independent of government but guided by government policy and decision-making that may overlap with the authority's work.
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