Media Release

9 May 2019

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The Coalition Government has demonstrated its skepticism on climate change by voting against a motion which calls for urgent action on climate change and raises concerns about the NSW Treasurer’s reluctance to fund renewable energy.

In 2015, while addressing the Centre for Independent Studies, Dominic Perrottet said:

“Another example of gratuitous waste is the almost religious devotion of the political Left to climate change”.

During the first Legislative Assembly Question Time for 2019, Member for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle moved:

That this House recognise the need for urgent action on climate change and expresses concern that the Treasurer of NSW has defended climate change sceptics while describing spending on climate change as a “gratuitous waste”.

Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Adam Searle, said: “As Treasurer of the largest state of Australia, Mr Perrottet’s attitude towards climate change and lack of spending on renewable energy is alarming.”

Member for the Blue Mountains, Trish Doyle, said: “For eight long years the Liberals and Nationals have failed to develop a plan to fight climate change.”

NSW Labor is calling on the Liberals and Nationals to use this term of government to finally take some meaningful action on climate change.

“Climate change is real and its impact can be seen right across the state.

“The Government needs to get serious about taking action on this issue urgently. Talk and renaming divisions in the public service is just not nearly enough.” Mr Searle said

Labor took a policy of strong action on climate change to the NSW Election in March which included mandating that at least 50 per cent of our state’s energy comes from renewable sources by 2030; and moving NSW as close to as possible 100 per cent energy from renewable sources by 2050.

Currently, NSW obtains less than 13 per cent of its energy from renewable sources.