John Howard’s failure to plan for the future has today cost 100 Tasmanian jobs, with the announcement the Vestas Nacelle wind turbine assembly plant in northern Tasmania will close.

The wind turbine assembly plant is closing as a direct result of Howard Government policies against clean, renewable energy.

Australia’s future is in renewables, not reactors.

100 jobs have been lost in Tasmania because John has no plans for the future.

The Howard Government has refused to increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 2% which has now been reached.

100 families in North West Tasmania are paying the price for the Howard Government’s decision not to embrace the future and increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target.

The Howard Government’s decision to block the $220 million wind farm in Bald Hills showed it is more concerned about one theoretical parrot being killed every 1,000 years than it is about Australian jobs.

Just last month, the Roaring 40s company announced a $300 million deal to provide three wind farms to China. China has a renewable energy target of 15%.

The clean energy industry is welcomed by China, but not by John Howard.

Instead of blocking clean energy projects, the Howard Government should support energy efficiency and seize the economic opportunities of the worldwide push to clean, renewable energy.

There is a trillion dollar industry emerging globally in renewable energy technologies.

Instead of his outdated and unwanted policy of building nuclear reactors, for the sake of Australia’s future John Howard should support our clean energy industries and cut our greenhouse pollution.