RET supporters must stand up to Liberal wreckers

Greens Leader Christine Milne says now is no time to settle on a lower Renewable Energy Target, which would lock in lower investment, fewer jobs, and a smaller cut to carbon pollution.

"If the government wants to fix uncertainty in the renewable energy industry, they can do it today. All it takes is for Mr Abbott to back off his cut to the RET, the way he's backed down on Medicare and university fees," said Senator Milne.

"The RET was working brilliantly, rolling out investment and jobs, especially in rural Australia, and along came Tony Abbott. He realised renewable energy is undermining the profits of the coal fired generators so he went out to smash it.

"He's smashed the Renewable Energy Target and now he's going to everyone from Labor to the crossbench to the industry, pressuring them to fix it.

"Tony Abbott broke it and he can fix it. It is his responsibility to do so," said Senator Milne.

"We need to stand together to defend the renewable energy industry, the way we've defended Medicare and our universities. The government will back down."

Essential polling out yesterday showed only 11% of Coalition voters support a cut to the RET, and only 8% of the population at large.

"Tony Abbott needs to go out and say he was wrong, that he's listening to the community which likes renewable energy, and that as of now he commits to 41000GWh and more beyond 2020," said Senator Milne.

"He needs to commit to making no change to that policy going into the next election, and say there is now tripartite support for renewable energy. If he did that, problem solved.

"It's time to stand up for renewables, not lower ambition. Why lock in 33,500GWh by 2020 when you could have 41,000GWh, and more into the future?"