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Bracks To Slug Victorians More For EnergyThe Bracks Government plans to slug energy consumers with a further tax so it can achieve its renewable energy targets, Shadow Minister for Energy and Resources Philip Davis said today. By Phillip Davis - 3rd April 2006 - Back to News Mr Davis said the Bracks Government this week admitted it would fail to meet its target of 1000 megawatts installed generation capacity of wind power by the end of 2006.
He said the only way the Bracks Government could meet its further target of 10 per cent electricity consumption from renewable sources by 2010, would be to heavily tax energy consumers to subsidise the wind industry.
"Given that less than 4% of electricity consumption is currently from renewables, two-thirds of which is from hydro-electric sources and there is limited scope for expansion, a tax on consumers is the only way this 10 per cent could be achieved because wind energy is so costly compared to other energy sources," Mr Davis said.
"Wind is uncompetitive on price as an energy source, it would require a massive subsidy estimated to be in order of $1 million per job created in the wind energy industry.
"The Bracks Government has made it clear that they see this as an industry development policy, this new consumer tax is not related to energy or greenhouse policy.
"While the Liberal Party supports renewable energy development, the Bracks Government’s policy approach is fundamentally flawed and doomed for failure.
"Taxing Victorians even further just so the Bracks Government can save face and meet its renewable energy targets is not on."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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