Energy guarantee: Minister blasts Victoria over plan 'posturing'

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg has chastised some states for "politicking and posturing" over a planned national approach to power supply and carbon emissions.

Australian Minister for the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg

Australian Minister for the Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg Source: AAP

Energy minister Josh Frydenberg has chastised "spooked" states including Victoria for their apprehensions over the Turnbull government's plans to slash power prices and carbon emissions.

Mr Frydenberg is confident he can persuade malcontents within coalition ranks during a partyroom meeting this week, and is urging state and territory ministers to lock in behind the National Energy Guarantee.

He blasted Victoria for demanding to reshape the policy, claiming industry groups view the blueprint as "the only game in town" to reduce electricity bills.



"This is politicking and posturing and what the sector wants is investment certainty," Mr Frydenberg told the ABC on Sunday.

"We have to disassociate the crass short-term political calculations going on in Victoria from the long-term national interest."

Mr Frydenberg insists threats of blackouts are "absolutely real" should the states reject his plans.



He was reluctant to entertain the prospect of backbenchers including Barnaby Joyce and Tony Abbott crossing the floor to vote against the government's signature energy policy.

They know how hard this is and they know Australia needs to break with the impasse that has dogged this policy in the past," Mr Frydenberg said.

"As the political battlelines have been drawn over energy and climate policy in Australia in the last 15 years, it has been the consumers who have been the casualties."


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Published 12 August 2018 9:44am
Updated 12 August 2018 10:01am


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