Today, the Minister for Environment Senator Campbell officially opened the Australian company Roaring 40s wind farm in China worth $300m.

Labor supports encouraging Australian companies such as Roaring 40s to develop renewable energy projects in China, but it is hypocrisy beyond belief for the Howard Government to attend openings in China given its spoiling role against renewables in Australia.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Campbell.

In a damning and embarrassing indictment of the Government, the Australian company building the wind farm stated today:

“the current project outlook in Australia is not strong and Roaring 40s hopes that, having seen what can be done in China, Minister Campbell will be encouraged to consider policies in Australia to increase the utilisation of our country’s great renewable energy capabilities and resources”.

Renewable energy companies are investing in China because China has a renewable energy target of 15%, compared to Australia’s pathetic 2% renewable energy target.

The renewable energy target has been kept at 2% because Howard Government Ministers deny climate change is happening and oppose support for renewables.

On the Sunday program on 20 August, Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane said:





LAURIE OAKES: OK. Climate change, you are a climate change sceptic, aren't you?

IAN MACFARLANE: Well I am a sceptic of the connection between emissions and climate change…

Lack of support from the Howard Government for renewable energy has lost thousands of jobs and millions of investment dollars, and stalled the development of the renewable energy industry in Australia.

Closing the solar rebate program and freezing the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target is killing jobs and investment in Australia and sending them off-shore.