• Labor leader, Anthony Albanese
    Labor leader, Anthony Albanese
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Labor has pledged to end Australia’s decade of climate wars and to drive investment in cheap, renewable energy.

In his budget reply speech to parliament last night, Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, said the focus will be on bringing people together in the national interest.

“This is what will characterise a Labor government which is in stark contrast to this government which is always seeking to divide,” he said.

“Under our Powering Australia Plan, Labor will end the climate wars and create 604,000 new jobs in renewable energy by 2030.

“The pandemic has shown us that we are not immune to global events. We must be more self-reliant.

“We can revitalise Australian manufacturing -and power that manufacturing with locally made renewable energy.

“Exporting resources will always be important to Australia’s economy. But we should also use our resources – like our minerals and rare earths – to make products like batteries here, instead of just shipping them offshore and importing the finished goods.

“We can and should add that value here,” he said.

Albanese referenced the flooding in northern NSW and south-east Queensland.

“Families like those I met in Lismore, Ballina, Murwillumbah, Brisbane, and Maryborough deserve a government that’s ready to roll up its sleeves and tackle the challenge of climate change,” he said.

“Alongside the economic benefits, our plan will reduce Australia’s emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 keeping us on track for net zero by 2050.

“Australians deserve a plan to secure our nation’s future, to maximise the benefits of new technology, cheaper energy, new job opportunities and cheaper low-emission vehicles.”

Labor will allocate up to $3 billion from its National Reconstruction Fund to invest in green metals (steel, alumina and aluminium); clean energy component manufacturing; hydrogen electrolysers and fuel switching; agricultural methane reduction and waste reduction.

“Whether Scott Morrison can see it or not, we are in a race. Every major economy in the world is moving toward renewables and if we do not seize this moment to invest in a homegrown renewables sector, Australia will be left out and left behind,” Albanese said.

“This agenda isn’t radical. My team and I are promising renewal not revolution.”