Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

We know that if we're going to meet science based targets, not politically based targets, one coal-fired power station has to close each year. We have a choice. We can either look after workers and manage that transition or we can leave them in the lurch. We know that the economics dictate that, no matter what this government tries to do, coal-fired power stations are going to close because they're old, they're inefficient and they cannot meet the dynamic demands of tomorrow's energy system. Coal-fired power stations are going to close because solar, storage, wind and demand response are cheaper than building and maintaining coal-fired power stations. The only reason the coalition doesn't support this motion is that it is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the coal lobby. Malcolm Turnbull is selling out to the coal lobby and, indeed, selling out to the far right of his party. We choose the path of a just transition that looks after workers and looks after the environment.