The Albanese government will establish a national energy transition authority in the May budget, which will be charged with ensuring workers, industries and communities are not left behind in the pursuit of net zero carbon goals.
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The new National Net Zero Authority, which must be legislated, will be announced on Friday by the climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen at the site of the closing Liddell coal-fired power station in the Hunter Valley.
"This budget will be very focused on the industrial and economic opportunities of the clean energy transformation and you will hear more from Minister Bowen about that later today," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in Canberra.
A new statutory authority was a "priority" pledge in Labor's 2021 national platform, while ACTU boss Michele O'Neil called for one in March, declaring that leaving energy workers behind in Australia's energy transition would be a moral failure and a massive missed opportunity.
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In a related pre-budget announcement, the government will also provide $400 million from the Powering the Regions Fund to support existing industry through an Industrial Transformation Stream.
The first act for a net zero statutory body will be to recommend to the Governor-General David Hurley to establish an interim Net Zero Executive Agency from July 1.
The creation of such an authority to support workers in emissions-intensive sectors has been the ultimate aim of the specially tasked Net Zero Taskforce which has been operating out of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) since last September as an intensive whole-of-government exercise.
The National Net Zero Authority will be charged with helping workers access new employment, skills and support, support regions and communities take advantage of new clean energy industries, and assist investors and companies to engage with net zero opportunities.
It will work with state, territory and local governments, existing regional bodies, unions, industry, investors, First Nations groups and others.
The interim executive agency, which will also be housed in PM&C, will head up work towards the final design and establishment of the legislated National Net Zero Authority.
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Karen Barlow
Karen Barlow is ACM's Chief Political Correspondent. Working in the federal press gallery, she investigates and writes about federal politics and government. She has an interest in integrity, leadership and social equity. She has covered two Olympics and been to Antarctica twice. Contact her on karen.barlow@canberratimes.com.au
Karen Barlow is ACM's Chief Political Correspondent. Working in the federal press gallery, she investigates and writes about federal politics and government. She has an interest in integrity, leadership and social equity. She has covered two Olympics and been to Antarctica twice. Contact her on karen.barlow@canberratimes.com.au
