Manufacturing and energy leaders say state and federal governments should get on with the job of designing and delivering the National Energy Guarantee, saying it offers a unique opportunity to solve issues facing competing aspects of Australia’s energy and climate policy future.
According to a Fairfax report this week, industry leaders are pushing hard for progress at the Coalition of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council meeting on Friday.
EnergyAustralia’s energy head Mark Collette, quoted in the story, says energy ministers around the country should not get “bogged down” in the details of the NEG policy, but instead should focus on letting it progress to the next stage.
“While the detail to the NEG is critical, it’s the overall package that’s important,” Collette was quoted. “We can live with many things if that package provides certainty and policy stability – together, those things can unlock major investments in a new, modern energy system.
“It would be desperately disappointing for the NEG to stall on any one point of detail in the broader package, no matter how important that detail is.”
Australian Industry Group principal advisor for national public policy, Tennant Reed, said the industry was happy with the mooted policy to manage emissions and industry targets, but a lot of work needs to get done to make it a reality.
“What we have heard unofficially and in the media is very positive,” Reed reportedly said.
“The mechanism design directions would work well and allay prior concerns about potential risks to competition.
“[There is] much more work left to do, and a big political chasm to bridge over ambition, but the progress overall is good.”