24 Sept 2020
CALLING FOR A RENEWABLE RECOVERY: A LETTER FROM AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSES TO HON SCOTT MORRISON
WWF-Australia and 72 businesses have sent a joint letter to Scott Morrison calling on the federal government to support a $2 billion renewable-led stimulus package to rebuild from COVID-19 in the 2020-21 Budget.
For Australian businesses, a renewable-led recovery makes good economic sense. It would unlock 100,000 jobs and future-proof our economy. It would bring manufacturing back to our shores, grow existing industries, unlock new industries and boost global exports.
Together, we are calling on the federal government to support the stimulus package in the 2020-21 Budget because the package:
- Prioritises people and jobs by stimulating job creation and redeployment across existing and new industries. Jobs created by the stimulus package would generate economic benefits of nearly $10 billion. Every dollar of stimulus spent on clean energy projects generates nearly three times as many jobs per dollar than investment in fossil fuel projects.
- Will help Australia recover from COVID-19. The measures are cost-effective, politically feasible and manage the impacts of this health crisis in the short-term. They will help develop a local knowledge economy and focus on rebuilding in a post-COVID-19 world where economic priorities have strategically shifted.
- Positions Australia to emerge from this crisis as a Renewable Energy Superpower. The package promotes capital investment and commercialisation of onshore supply chains and technology, helping to enhance Australia’s energy sovereignty, drive down electricity prices and position us to capture new renewable export opportunities.
- Supports regional Australia. An additional 60,000 regional employment opportunities could be created by 2030 if Australia transitions electricity generation towards a renewable energy powered grid.
