Can we spark a race to the top? Jason, Solar Citizens

Dear Neville —

The Abbott Government has led a race to the bottom on the Renewable Energy Target – dragging the ALP and some parts of industry down with them. It’s time for us to spark the race to the top.

Last week Labor Leader Bill Shorten and Mark Butler caved under pressure and said they would accept a huge cut to the Renewable Energy Target. But negotiations remain at a standstill with the Coalition refusing to budge on their woefully low 32,000 gigawatt hour offer.

Our best chance of transcending this impasse is to start thinking ahead. Right now what needs to happen is for all major parties to do what the majority of voters want – take ambitious solar and renewable energy policy to the 2016 election.

We may be in a deadlock now – but a solar bidding war in the lead up to 2016 will break it. With pressure from Solar Citizens like you, we can get Labor to kick things off.

Can you write to your ALP representative today, asking them to commit to our Stand Up For Solar plan at their upcoming National Conference? Click here to send your message using our easy form.

In July the ALP will hold their National Conference to decide their policy platform. We need Labor to deliver a strong solar and renewable energy policy so they can throw down the gauntlet to the Coalition in the lead up to the next Federal election.

Getting stronger, clearer policy commitments from the ALP is just the first step. To guarantee Australia’s solar future we need bipartisan support from all major parties, but so far the Coalition hasn’t come to the table. That’s why we need Labor to follow through with ambitious solar policy leadership.

Under intense pressure from Solar Citizens like you, Labor has indicated they may be willing to increase the Renewable Energy Target if elected in 2016 and will be consulting in coming months about a more ambitious post-2020 Target*. Now is the time to send them a clear message to go for gold and commit to at least 50% renewables by 2030, a Target that will lock in a strong solar future for Australia. Click here to use our online tool to write to your ALP representative today, asking them to commit to our Stand Up For Solar plan at their National Conference.

Solar has the potential to make or break a government. Polls show that 89% of Australians want to keep or strengthen the Target, including 64% of self-identified Liberal voters**. It’s time for us to prove these polls have teeth – that Australians will raise their voices, take action and use their votes to ensure that we as a nation move forwards rather than backwards.

So email your Labor Representative and tell them you want them to Stand Up For Solar at the ALP National Conference. Just click here to fill out the email template. When you receive a response, make sure you forward it to us at info@solarcitizens.org.au so we can hold your representative to their commitments.

And remember, leadership on solar and renewables starts with people like you and me – so let’s get cracking.

For a sun-powered future,

Jason Lyddieth, Community Organiser

P.S. Have you signed the Stand Up For Solar pledge yet? We want to see every solar owner and supporter in the country add their name so we can show our politicians how much active support there is for our plan. Click here to see the Stand Up For Solar plan and pledge today.

*http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/coalition-deepens-attack-on-renewables-as-labor-takes-long-term-view-88735

**http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/dec/02/almost-90-of-australians-support-renewable-energy-target-says-poll

Solar Citizens
http://www.solarcitizens.org.au/