Industry welcomes consultative and bipartisan approach to Renewable Energy Target legislation

August 20, 2009

The Australian chemicals and plastics industry has today welcomed the consultative and bipartisan approach taken to secure the passage of the commonwealth government’s landmark Renewable Energy Target (RET) legislation. The RET legislation mandates that 20 percent of Australia's stationary energy must come from renewable energy sources by 2020. In doing so it makes important advances in transitioning Australia to a low carbon economy.

The Australian chemicals and plastics industry is uniquely placed to meet the needs of a sustainable society, and to deliver solutions for the many challenges facing us, such as climate change, water shortage and resource constraints through product and process design and innovation.

PACIA Chief Executive, Margaret Donnan, said “The chemicals and plastics industry with its strong sustainability focus is ideally positioned to assist in developing a world class clean energy industry in Australia”.

On the passage of the legislation, Ms Donnan said;

“We are especially pleased at the leadership shown by the Prime Minister and Climate Change Minister Penny Wong in making the Renewable Energy Target legislation a reality, including appropriate industry assistance, with the support of Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull, shadow Climate Change Minister Greg Hunt and their teams.”

“We look forward to working closely with the government and the opposition parties in the same consultative and bipartisan fashion in the final development of an emissions trading scheme, which strikes the right balance between our common economic and environmental objectives and supports our transition to a sustainable and carbon constrained future”.

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John Osborn, Manager Strategic Communications, (03) 9426 3809