Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne says the government's Energy White Paper needs to be binned along with the Warburton review into the RET, as both have been written to protect the profits of the Coalition's mates in the fossil fuel sector.

"This Energy White Paper is nothing more than a pamphlet by the wholly-owned subsidiary of the coal industry that is the Abbott government," said Senator Milne.

Now that the community and the Parliament have forced the Abbott Government to back down on its backward and ideological policies attacking the sick, our universities, students and pensioners, it's time to intensify the campaign and force the Prime Minister to drop the attack on renewable energy, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne said today.

"Minister Macfarlane asks who is creating the RET uncertainty now? There is only one answer. You are," said Senator Milne.

Today marks a year since the Abbott government shattered investor confidence by launching its unnecessary and ideological review of the Renewable Energy Target, and Greens Leader Christine Milne says its time for the uncertainty to end.

"The Liberals need end their attack on the Renewable Energy Target and stop destroying jobs to protect their mates at the big end of town," said Senator Milne.

Senator Ricky Muir has this afternoon said in the Senate he will support exemptions for heavy industry and the inclusion of electricity generation from burning native forests within the Renewable Energy Target.

"Exemptions for heavy industry and inclusion of energy generated from burning native forests in the Renewable Energy Target would be a disaster. It would do even more to destroy confidence in Australian clean energy," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

With news today that RET uncertainty has forced Meridian Energy Australia to abandon its Burdekin Hydro project in Northern Queensland, Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne, who is in Lima, says the Abbott government's duplicity has been exposed.

"Julie Bishop is over here in Lima bragging about ARENA and the Renewable Energy Target, but even as she speaks her government's attack on the RET is damaging jobs, investment, and efforts to cut pollution," said Senator Milne.

Palmer wants to cut the Renewable Energy Target (RET) by 5% and let big business off the hook.

The Palmer United Party are asking the Government to give the aluminium industry a 100% exemption from the RET.

The aluminium industry is currently required to source just 10% of their electricity from clean energy sources. Palmer is asking that this be reduced to zero. 

Renewable energy is pushing the price of electricity down. Palmer’s plan to cut the RET is nothing short of a hand out for big business, payed for by households and small business.

Renewable Energy
Senator MILNE (Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (15:30): I move:
That the Senate take note of the answer given by the Minister for Employment (Senator Abetz) to a question without notice asked by Senator Milne today relating to the Renewable Energy Target.

The Australian Greens are urging those at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting to abandon Tony Abbott's brutal budget, saying no sales pitch can hide the fact that this government's obsession with propping up the fossil-fuelled past is making life harder for ordinary Australians and deterring investment and job creation.