Why Australia needs a price on pollution
Scientists have shown that Australia will be one of the developed countries hit first and worst by climate change. Our food security, water security, our health and our economy will be greatly impacted. The future of our most precious places like the Great Barrier Reef hangs in the balance. If we’re going prevent the worst impacts of climate change, Australia must be a part of the solution.
The good news is that Australia has some of the best clean energy resources in the world, like solar, wind and geothermal – better than most of our competitors. It’s in our national interest to take advantage of this, and use the technologies that are available now, with resources that will last forever.
A strong price on pollution will kick start the transition to a clean energy economy for Australia, and create tens of thousands of new clean technology jobs across the country.
It will replace our dirtiest power stations like Hazelwood with clean, reliable energy for the future. It will help bring online new energy sources like solar power stations in Mildura, and make it cheaper for households, schools and church halls across the country to put solar panels on their roofs.
Australians can achieve great things when we put our minds to it. We built the Snowy Mountain Scheme. Our inventions such as the bionic ear have changed lives across the globe. We have noble prize winning scientists, world leading entrepreneurs and one of the strongest economies on earth. Our greatest resources are our people and the country itself. If we decide to cut pollution and build clean energy for our future, we will make a success of it.
It’s time to take this opportunity to put a strong price on pollution, and kickstart the transition to a sustainable future for our kids.
