Labor urged to act as poll reveals almost three quarters of West Aussies want renewables target

Nearly three-quarters of West Australians want the state government to adopt a renewable energy target, new polling from a collection of unions and climate groups has revealed.

The Solutions for Climate WA-commissioned Talbot Mills poll of 1019 West Australians over 18 in late October found broad support for more renewables in the state’s biggest power grid, and 74 per cent of respondents supported a government-led renewable energy target.

The poll was supported by a group of unions, including the Electrical Trades Union, AMWU and Unions WA, as well as climate and social justice groups the Smart Energy Council, WA Council of Social Services, Environs Kimberley and Greenpeace.

About 61 per cent of respondents preferred the state generate electricity with solar and wind backed up with storage, compared to 16 per cent supporting gas-fired power, and 11 per cent coal-fired power.

More than 80 per cent of respondents supported increasing the amount of renewable energy.

The polling comes the same day the federal Liberals travel to Canberra to determine whether net zero emissions remains in their policy platform, and the release of national polling for this masthead that suggests support for a net zero emissions by 2050 was not as high as federal Labor had hoped.

The Cook government has resisted introducing a renewable energy target so far, though Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson told an Australian Financial Review energy summit last month the government planned to have “some form of target” for renewables next year.

The state plans to shut down its coal-fired power stations in Collie by 2030, but the replacement generation capacity has not yet been found.

The involvement of unions in the survey shows Labor is also feeling pressure from its own supporter base to introduce a renewable target, and it follows the lay party calling for a target at its state conference at the weekend.

Unions WA secretary Rikki Hendon said the government needed to set a target to send a signal to renewable energy builders it was serious about firming up the grid with green technology.

“A renewable energy target is really important as a signal for both working people and for industry about where government is going, that they’re investing their future in renewable energy, and that people can count on that and build their futures around that,” she said.

“I think it sets a very, very positive tone and it’s a real win-win for business and for WA.”

Asked whether Labor was dragging its feet on the issue, Hendon said it was important to have a conversation about renewables.

“Clearly, there’s a lot of support for it in Western Australia, and we do encourage the government to adopt a renewable energy target in the near future,” she said.

Smart Energy Council manager Charlie Caruso said investors, developers and innovators were ready to deliver renewable energy projects across WA, but they need certainty.

“A renewable energy target for the South West Interconnected System will send the right market signal and help WA capture the full benefits of the global energy transformation already underway,” he said.

At a mining industry lunch earlier this month, Premier Roger Cook issued a plea to the resources sector to “lean in” and lock in electricity contracts with proposed renewable projects to shore up the struggling sector, as the mining and gas lobby warned high power prices in WA were stifling new investment in the state.

Cook said big energy users like those in the resources sector had a role to play in making renewable projects less risky ventures.

“Big energy users can and should help shore up the viability of these renewable energy projects, after all, they need customers, you need energy,” he said.

“We need you to enter into offtake agreements early to help them reach final investment decision.

“As a government, we are looking at what we can do on both the south west and north west grids, but if we are to become a renewable energy powerhouse in a net-zero-by-2050 world and secure all the opportunities that this represents, such as green iron.

“We need you to act, to lean in. You lean in, and we will assist you in any way that we can.”

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