Rallies have been held across Australia calling on the federal government to uphold a commitment to renewable energy.



At some 30 locations around the nation on Friday, peaceful protesters waved placards and made speeches outside the offices of Coalition MPs and senators.

“Tasmania is a renewable energy paradise,” climate action spokesman Phil Harrington called from the back of a ute outside the Hobart office of Liberal senator Eric Abetz.

The leader of the government in the upper house wasn’t inside his office to hear speeches, which outlined the billions of dollars worth of investment Tasmania is set to reap from renewable energy projects including wind farms.

A similar scene backing the renewable energy target (RET) was on show in Perth outside the office of deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop, where protesters were addressed by state MP for Perth, Alannah MacTiernan.

MacTiernan said it was embarrassing countries all over the world were supporting market mechanisms to combat climate change, but Australia was backing down.

“Where is this concept that we’re out here on our own?” she asked the crowd. “We have lost our price on carbon but we will bring that back.

“But what we still have here is the renewable energy target and we must make sure that we keep this credible target.”

The government is considering a report by businessman Dick Warburton, which questions the target of 20% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020. A formal response is expected within days.

Labor senator Lisa Singh backed the protests and said her home state of Tasmania would be among the hardest hit if the RET were scrapped.

“The chaos and uncertainty created by [the government] is stopping any investment or expansion in the renewables sector which is so important for economic development,” she said.

Several groups including the Clean Energy Council, Australian Solar Council, Solar Energy Industries Association and the Australian Wind Alliance were behind Friday’s rally movement.