TED Baillieu and Minister for Energy Michael O’Brien have been exposed as hypocrites for failing to take their own advice on renewable energy.
While the government’s GreenPower website tells Victorians that by buying electricity from renewable sources they “will help grow the renewable energy sector”, Mr Baillieu and Mr O’Brien have dumped the whole-of-
government purchase agreement, and haven’t bothered to tell anyone until they couldn’t hide it any longer.
Annual reports released last week reveal that the government cancelled the purchase agreement with GreenPower that would have required government departments and agencies to source at least 20 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
It has only now come to light that the government dumped the purchase agreement from July 1, 2011.
There are currently 26 solar, wind, biomass and hydro power generation businesses in Victoria that are supported by this government program, providing clean energy and jobs.
The decision reveals that from the first budget opportunity, the Baillieu government has been intent on undermining Victoria’s renewable energy industry.
Lily D’Ambrosio,
Shadow Minister for Energy.