Let’s talk about Labor’s new climate plan

It’s better than Scott Morrison’s plan, but that’s a very low bar

On Friday, Labor announced the climate policy they will take to next year’s election. While it falls short of what is needed to protect Australia from extreme weather and worsening climate catastrophes, it is clearly an improvement on Scott Morrison and the Coalition’s dangerous commitment to climate inaction.

We are fighting for good jobs, great public services and a safe climate for all because we know these things are connected and would start benefiting our communities today. So it’s great to see Labor talking about the job opportunities that solving the climate crisis would create, with a plan to create 604,000 jobs upgrading our energy grid and sourcing 82% renewable energy by 2030. [1]

But solving the climate crisis means standing up to the fossil fuel billionaires and keeping coal, oil and gas in the ground. And Labor has failed that test.

Labor’s plan to cut emissions by 43% only goes a little further than commitments already made by state governments, and falls well short of the 75% cut needed to prevent black summer events happening every year. [2] And while it focuses on the opportunities of job creation in renewables, it misses out on investment in more female-dominated industries and public services like health, aged care and education – which will be critical to helping our communities survive and thrive through a changing climate.

Make no mistake, Labor is talking about climate jobs because of the leadership of our movement and our allies in the union and climate movements.

Together, we have demonstrated that real climate action that improves public services and creates good jobs is popular. So why are both major parties still refusing to close polluting industries and rebuild a cleaner and stronger economy in their place? Because of the influence of fossil fuel billionaires on our politics.

In their press release this week Labor even admitted that their plan is to follow the lead of the Business Council of Australia and not push their members (who include Australia’s biggest climate polluters like AGL, BHP, Origin, Rio Tinto, Shell and Woodside) to go any faster than already planned. They are saying the quiet part out loud!

True, they haven’t gone as far as Scott Morrison who “did a bit of a jig” when Woodside’s gigantic polluting gas project was announced two weeks ago [3] but that is a very low bar.

Our plan for the election

We are clear-eyed about the crisis our communities are facing and who has caused it. So no matter who wins the election next year – we need to make politicians stop listening to CEOs and fossil fuel billionaires and start listening to the people instead.

We need to be louder, we need to be bolder, we need to be undeniable.

During next year’s election campaign, Tomorrow Movement will be relentless. We will tell our stories, we will share our hopeful vision for the future. We will keep escalating because we cannot let the urgent need for secure jobs and climate action fall off the agenda.

If you are ready to make sure the next government stands up to fossil fuel billionaires and delivers a climate and jobs plan that actually matches the scale of the problem, then there are two things you can do:

• If you are a young person (under 35 years old) and ready to step up to the challenge – then we want you to come to our 3 day Training Camp (4-6th February next year) so that you can get all the skills, relationships and knowledge you need to get climate jobs on the election agenda. Expressions of Interest close this Friday. Read more information and sign up here>>

• If you are over 35 and want to help, consider making a monthly donation or sharing the Climate Jobs Guarantee petition with your networks.

Whoever forms government next year, our movement will be there to hold their feet to the fire!

Will you join us?

TLDR: Labor is talking about climate jobs! Together we made this happen! Yes, it’s way better than the Liberal and National Party’s plan! No, it isn’t good enough to solve the climate crisis! That’s why we’re going to make whoever wins government deliver a Climate Jobs Guarantee! Join us on the streets and get skilled up at a training in February!

Footnotes:

[1] Labor’s Powering Australia policy and press release

[2] Analysis from Climate Council researcher Wesley Morgan, published in the Conversation

[3] Pedestrian, Scott Morrison Did a Little Jig after a Gas Project Was Approved