The Greens will push for a new levy on coal exports to fund climate disaster recovery and clean export industries if they hold the balance of power after the election.
In a climate policy to be launched in Sydney on Thursday, the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, will announce measures that the party says will improve the budget bottom line by $51.9bn over a decade and create 805,000 new jobs.
As the Coalition fought internally over its net zero emissions policy, Bandt said the Greens were the only party talking seriously about addressing the climate emergency and the package dismantled the argument that action should be delayed.
“The Coalition and Labor are arguing over whether to go over the climate cliff at 200 km/h or 180 km/h,” he said. “They’ve both got targets that are far too late and they’re backing more coal and gas.
“The Greens have a plan to phase out coal exports and levy the coal corporations to help pay for the damage they’re causing and to grow new, clean industries with secure jobs.”
Bandt said the party’s climate platform, which had been costed by the parliamentary budget office, was comprehensive and would move Australia to a “jobs-rich zero pollution economy”.
The climate package includes a new levy on thermal and metallurgical coal that would start at $1 and $3 a tonne respectively in the first year and increase annually, raising $21.7b over a decade.
The money would support recovery and resilience programs as climate-related disasters and extreme weather events increased due to the emissions caused by the fossil fuel industry. It would also be invested in green hydrogen and green metals development.
It would be coupled with a plan to phase out thermal coal exports, with a yearly export cap to cut the maximum annual thermal coal exports from 230m tonnes in 2023 to zero by 2030.
Other elements of the plan include a moratorium on new coal, oil and gas development and ending billions of dollars paid each year in fossil fuel subsidies. Bandt said this would include cutting the diesel fuel rebate for vehicles not used on public roads with the exception of farming vehicles.
The Greens have a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2035, and negative emissions growing to 100m tonnes by 2050.
On energy, their target is to reach 100% renewable energy by 2030. The eventual goal is to reach 700% renewable energy compared with today’s output to allow Australia to become a “renewable energy superpower”, with new green manufacturing and export industries.
The minor party proposes subsidies for households to electrify heating and cooking and to install batteries, which they said would generate $44.5bn investment in homes and businesses.
They also propose creating a $25bn “futuregrid” fund to enable the rewiring of the electricity network and connect new renewable energy zones with major cities. This pledge has similarities to Labor’s commitment to create a $20bn “rewiring the nation” corporation.
Bandt said support for coal and gas workers and their communities was central to the policy. He has visited Rockhampton, Gladstone, Newcastle and Singleton to talk about the plan, which includes an already announced $19b jobs guarantee to subsidise the wages and employment of coal workers for up to 10 years, and subsidising older workers until retirement age.
“Coal and gas workers can see the world is moving and they are looking to governments for leadership,” he said. “Right now, the Coalition and Labor are refusing to have honest conversations which just leaves communities in the lurch.”
