Australian PM vows to protect industry in net zero emissions push
2021-04-21
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, November 13, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]
CANBERRA -- Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison has reassured workers that they will not be adversely affected by the country's push towards net zero emissions.
In a speech to the Business Council of Australia (BCA) on Monday evening, Morrison promised that the government would not "tax the life out" of industries to help reduce carbon emissions.
"I am not going to tax our industries off the planet," he said.
"The key to meeting our climate change ambitions is the commercialization of low emissions technology."
In the strongest indication yet that he is preparing to embrace a 2050 net zero emissions target, Morrison told the business leaders that Australia's energy mix must change over the next 30 years "on the road to net zero emissions."
He said that net zero would be "won" in the energy, industrial, agricultural, mining and manufacturing sectors, not in "the cafes, dinner parties and wine bars of our inner cities."
"It will be achieved by the pioneering entrepreneurialism and innovation of Australia's industrial workhorses, farmers and scientists. It will be won in places like the Pilbara, the Hunter, Gladstone, Portland, Whyalla, Bell Bay, the Riverina, in the factories of our regional towns and outer suburbs, in the labs of our best research institutes and scientists." Morrison said.
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