Following Malcolm Turnbull calling on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to review retail electricity prices, PIAA has called for action to be taken immediately, including removing the Renewable Energy Target (RET).
The review is to be undertaken with the Australian Energy Regulator and the Australian Energy Market Commission, and will not be finalised until July 2018, with an interim report given in six months.
The Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA) has been lobbying in Canberra on behalf of South Australian, and national members to encourage the government to get the work done on energy security.
Today, a report by the Australian Energy Market Operator confirmed that wind-farms played a role in the S.A blackouts triggered by a severe storm, which it had previously denied.
Andrew Macaulay, CEO, PIAA says, “We commend the Prime Minister for looking into the matter, however, we elect politicians to lead. Handing the responsibility over to the ACCC while industry is bleeding is a cop out. Particularly given the long lead time for any recommendation. The inept policy in place today is a failure of Government.
“Action is needed today from Government to ensure investors have confidence to invest and develop baseload capacity.
“It is farcical that a country with as many natural resources as Australia could have some of the most expensive power in the world. Both sides of Government need to face up to this.
“Energy policy has been driven by ideologues, not industry and consumer needs. Increasing the RET has clearly left South Australians in the dark.
“As an industry we are leading the charge in renewables, recycled papers, and environmental certifications. This is all done in the context of improving productivity sustainably. We support renewables, but we do not support politicians virtue signalling at the expense of employment and investment. The RET does not lift productivity, and significantly undermines Australian competitive advantage.
“Remove the destructive RET, give certainty to investors in energy generation, and allow Australian industry, and consequently employment, to grow.”
While energy security is an issue affecting all Australians, energy-intensive industries such as print suffer disproportionately when prices are high. Australia’s energy grid and infrastructure need an update, as coal-fuelled power stations such as the Hazelwood power station reach the end of their lives.
When it powers down next week, the Hazelwood plant in Victoria's Latrobe Valley will be the ninth coal-fired power generator to close its doors since 2012.
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