6th Sep 2017, 4:03 PM – Senate Motions - Coal-Fired Power - ALP must clarify position on coal

The majority voted in favour of a motion introduced by Nationals Senator Barry O'Sullivan. Motions like these don't have legal force, but they do represent the will of the Senate so can be politically influential.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the Australian Labor Party's (ALP) Climate Action Plan, released in April 2016, states that 'Labor will introduce a framework to kick start the closure' of coal-fired power stations,

(ii) the ALP co-sponsored a Senate motion in October 2016 'to encourage the retirement of coal-fired power stations',

(iii) the Federal Opposition Leader told media in October 2016 that 'coal has a future in Australia',

(iv) the ALP supported a Senate motion in March 2017 stating that Government 'has no choice but to walk away from funding coal-fired power stations',

(v) the ALP supported a Senate motion in March 2017 stating that 'thermal coal is in structural decline and has no long term future in Australia',

(vi) the ALP supported a Senate motion in June 2017 congratulating the Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia and the Queensland Premier for 'their leadership in bringing the Adani Carmichael Mine in Queensland's Galilee Basin another step closer to being a reality', and

(vii) the ALP supported a Senate motion in August 2017 stating that Government 'should not force the early retirement of coal-fired power stations'; and

(b) calls on the Federal Australian Labor Party to come clean with a coherent policy position regarding the future role of coal and coal-fired power stations in the national energy mix.