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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/10/neg-survives-after-canberra-and-states-agree-to-keep-talking
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| Neg survives after Canberra and states agree to keep talking | Neg survives after Canberra and states agree to keep talking |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Commonwealth and the states have agreed to keep talking on the national energy guarantee – keeping the policy alive – but a final process of determination could take several weeks. | The Commonwealth and the states have agreed to keep talking on the national energy guarantee – keeping the policy alive – but a final process of determination could take several weeks. |
| In a partial step back from some of the brinkmanship of the week leading up to Friday’s meeting of the Coag energy council in Sydney, the energy minister Josh Frydenberg and his state and territory counterparts agreed to inch forward on the policy, rather than torpedo it. | In a partial step back from some of the brinkmanship of the week leading up to Friday’s meeting of the Coag energy council in Sydney, the energy minister Josh Frydenberg and his state and territory counterparts agreed to inch forward on the policy, rather than torpedo it. |
| The ministers agreed to move to the next stage, and allow legislation required in the states to implement changes to the national energy market rules to go out for a month of consultation – provided Frydenberg emerges with an agreement from his party room colleagues next week on the emissions reduction components of the scheme. | The ministers agreed to move to the next stage, and allow legislation required in the states to implement changes to the national energy market rules to go out for a month of consultation – provided Frydenberg emerges with an agreement from his party room colleagues next week on the emissions reduction components of the scheme. |
| If Frydenberg secures party room sign off next Tuesday – and some government colleagues are already posturing in advance of that discussion – the required state legislation will go out to stakeholders next week. | If Frydenberg secures party room sign off next Tuesday – and some government colleagues are already posturing in advance of that discussion – the required state legislation will go out to stakeholders next week. |
| Guardian Australia understands the Labor states continued to express strong objections to the scheme on a number of fronts during Friday’s talks, with Queensland also joining the concerns telegraphed publicly by Victorian and the Australian Capital Territory. | Guardian Australia understands the Labor states continued to express strong objections to the scheme on a number of fronts during Friday’s talks, with Queensland also joining the concerns telegraphed publicly by Victorian and the Australian Capital Territory. |
| The objections the states have outlined could ultimately kill the policy, because the commonwealth is signalling it won’t budge, and it is not yet clear how those differences will be settled. | |
| The Victorian energy minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, declared on Friday she would continue to withhold endorsement for the scheme “until it supports lower bills, lower emissions and more renewable-energy jobs for Victoria”. | The Victorian energy minister, Lily D’Ambrosio, declared on Friday she would continue to withhold endorsement for the scheme “until it supports lower bills, lower emissions and more renewable-energy jobs for Victoria”. |
| “Victoria will only support the Neg if the following conditions are met: emissions reduction targets can only be allowed to increase over time and never go backwards; future targets will need to be set by regulation; the targets will need to be set every three years, three years in advance; and the establishment of a transparent registry, with access by regulators and governments to ensure the Neg is working in the best interests of consumers”. | “Victoria will only support the Neg if the following conditions are met: emissions reduction targets can only be allowed to increase over time and never go backwards; future targets will need to be set by regulation; the targets will need to be set every three years, three years in advance; and the establishment of a transparent registry, with access by regulators and governments to ensure the Neg is working in the best interests of consumers”. |
| Queensland later issued a statement confirming the issues it had pursued at the meeting. The state’s resources minister, Cameron Dick, standing in for his colleague Anthony Lynham, who is on leave, said the current emissions reduction target of 26% was “inadequate”. | |
| “The target should not be able to be decreased,” Dick said. “The target must be able to increase as technology changes, without becoming hostage to extremists and climate change denialists in the federal Coalition party room and in the Commonwealth parliament.” | |
| He said Queensland also needed certainty about emissions reduction and growth in renewables to secure cheaper power. | |
| Dick said it was appropriate that further action on the Neg be on hold until after next Tuesday, because “the Coalition party room is the biggest risk to energy and price stability – and has been for 10 years – so we need that party room certainty.” | |
| Friday’s agreement to continue negotiations is less comprehensive than Frydenberg wanted at the start of the process. He wanted an in-principle sign-off on the mechanism. But given the substantive objections in the states, Friday’s outcome is the best the federal energy minister could have secured. | Friday’s agreement to continue negotiations is less comprehensive than Frydenberg wanted at the start of the process. He wanted an in-principle sign-off on the mechanism. But given the substantive objections in the states, Friday’s outcome is the best the federal energy minister could have secured. |
| It means the Neg remains alive and the emissions reduction components will be presented to the Coalition party room next Tuesday. | It means the Neg remains alive and the emissions reduction components will be presented to the Coalition party room next Tuesday. |
| The meeting is continuing. | The meeting is continuing. |
| More to come | More to come |
| National energy guarantee (Neg) | National energy guarantee (Neg) |
| Josh Frydenberg | Josh Frydenberg |
| Liberal party | Liberal party |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| Labor party | Labor party |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| news | news |
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