Activists from Rising Tide have scaled the walls of Climate Change Minister Greg Combet’s electorate office to draw attention to issues related to the looming carbon tax and how resulting revenue will be spent.
The protesters have placed solar panels on Minister Combet’s rooftop and unfurled a banner that states “Make Polluters Pay, Fund Renewable Energy!”
The activists are refusing to come down from the building until they receive a commitment that a price on pollution will see some of the resulting funds go to renewable energy. The government is yet to make a public statement on whether this will occur as part of its carbon tax policy.
According to Rising Tide spokesperson Naomi Hogan, through the controversial reform, Australia has an opportunity to ensure the nation’s renewable energy future has the proper funding, “but right now the big polluting companies are trying to make sure all the money stays in their pockets.”
“If the government stood up to the clamour of the loud, greedy CEOs of polluting companies, the money could help fund solar on rooftops right across Australia,” said Ms. Hogan.
Rising Tide Australia is a grassroots Newcastle group taking action against the causes of anthropogenic climate change under the principles of non-violent direct action.
The renewable energy industry, particularly the PV sector, has endured a number of blows in recent weeks - the 2011/12 Budget saw funding delayed or slashed on large-scale projects and solar schools, the Solar Credits Scheme was further reduced and last Friday, the NSW government announced the closure of the state’s feed-in tariff program to new applications and its plans to reduce the original rate paid to solar households retrospectively.
