Tuesday 5 June 2007

States defy call to wind up schemes

Weekend Australian
02/06/2007 Page: 8

AT least two states yesterday vowed to keep their Mandatory Renewable Energy Targets despite the Shergold report recommending the schemes be scrapped. The Prime Minister's Task Group Report on Emissions Trading strongly urged for state MRET schemes to be scrapped if a cap-and-trade scheme was introduced.

"All Australian schemes that set mandatory targets for deployment of particular technologies should be wound Victorian Climate Change Minister John Thwaites warned that a move by the federal Government to scrap Victoria's renewable energy targets would jeopardise $2 billion of investment in renewable energy projects and 2200 jobs. "The VRET has been specifically designed to co-exist with a national emissions trading scheme," he said.

A spokesman for NSW Premier Morris lemma said the state would keep its MRET of 15 per cent renewable energy by 2020.

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