THE MORRISON GOVERNMENT’S plan to change the remit of Australia’s renewable energy agency (ARENA) to support expensive and unproven technologies like carbon capture and storage is aimed at prolonging the life of the fossil fuel industry.

“ARENA has been a great Australian success story. It has played a crucial role in supporting the development of wind and solar energy. To change it is an act of vandalism,” said Climate Council Senior Researcher Tim Baxter.

“Wind and solar are the cheapest, most effective ways to reduce emissions. We need ARENA to invest in what we know works, not wasting taxpayers’ money on risky, polluting projects,” he said.

Today’s development follows news the government also wants to change the remit of the clean energy bank to fund dirty fossil fuel projects. And it comes after the Morrison government announced it would be willing to build a gas fired power station even if the private sector wouldn’t.

“None of these announcements will bring about an economic recovery or create jobs for Australians who need them,” said Mr Baxter.

“The Climate Council’s Clean Jobs Plan has identified 76,000 jobs that could get people back to work now and tackle long term problems like climate change,” he said.

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