Climate Council hails budget billions for green industry, no new money for gas

BUDGET REACTION – The Climate Council has described the 2024-25 Federal Budget as “a decisive turn towards Australia’s clean energy future”.

By earmarking billions of investment in coming years to grow clean industries such as critical minerals, renewable hydrogen and clean energy manufacturing, the Federal Government is charting a course to power past the end of fossil fuels,Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said.

“Gas and coal are not part of the budget’s vision for a Future Made in Australia, underlining that our next era of prosperity can be built on cleaner foundations,” Ms McKenzie said. “This is an essential signal across our entire economy. 

“Building a renewable future and clean industrial base will deliver good jobs and greater prospects for Australians. This is critical to slash climate pollution and protect our kids' future.

“The budget makes an important and overdue opening bid to claim our place as one of the world’s clean energy market leaders,” she said.

“Both sides of politics should back this vision for Australia. It’s not political, it is for our kids.”

Climate Council head of policy and advocacy Jennifer Rayner said, “To make these budget investments work, we now need two things: stronger policies to get all parts of our economy pulling in the same pollution-free direction, and clear bipartisan commitment to seize Australia’s clean energy potential.

“The investments in this budget will need to ramp up in the next term of government and beyond,” Dr Rayner said. “All political parties must now make clear that Australia is open for clean business with good new jobs, no matter who is in charge.”

 The Climate Council is Australia’s community-funded climate change communications organisation, providing authoritative, expert and evidence-based advice on climate change to journalists, policymakers, and the wider Australian community.

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