Australian Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has defended the decision to take two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) jets to a climate change announcement with the prime minister.
The two jets travelled from Canberra to the Scone Memorial Airport in the Hunter Valley for a solar energy press conference.
“As you know, the prime minister always travels with the Royal Australian Air Force—all prime ministers have for living memory as long as certainly I’ve been involved. That’s for security reasons and quite appropriate.
At the announcement, the federal government advised they would be delivering $1 billion (US$649,000) of taxpayer funds to support solar manufacturing.
Driving from Canberra to the old Liddell Power Station site for the announcement would have taken between five and six hours, leaving in the morning on March 28.
The minister also said going together on one plane would have been difficult due to security requirements, staff and weight restrictions.
“Even the small jets weren’t fully laden because of the weight restrictions ... the prime minister’s security detail and other people involved going from, as you'd imagine, the prime ministerial visit, two Cabinet ministers,” he said.
‘Grotesque’ Use of Taxpayer Dollars: Opposition
Coalition Social Services Minister Michael Sukkar criticised the decision, in an interview with 2GB on April 1.“The prime minister is entitled to the use of a private jet and what would typically occur is a minister would hitch a ride with the prime minister,” Mr. Sukkar said.
“But to take a second plane for himself is something that I think is remarkable, is a grotesque use of taxpayer dollars.”
The solar announcement was part of the Labor government’s plan to become a “renewable energy superpower” in Australia and overseas.
“We have every metal and critical mineral necessary to be a central player in the net zero transformation, and a proven track record as a reliable energy producer and exporter.”
Labor is aiming to ensure solar panels are manufactured in Australia, including in the Hunter region at the old coal-fired Liddle Power station.
Touting the initiative, the government noted only 1 percent of solar panels used in Australian households are made on home soil.
Further, Mr Bowen said Australian research helped invent the modern solar panel, and the announcement was about “creating Australian jobs to help manufacture them.”
“We know that the world’s climate emergency is Australia’s jobs opportunity, $1 billion to support Australian manufacturing in solar technology will help seize that opportunity,” he said.
“The U.S. bans slave labour made Chinese solar panels, why don’t we?” he said on X. “There is no chance that Australian workers can compete with slave labour. So if we want a domestic manufacturing industry we have to ban the importation of slave labour-made products.”
More Climate Bills Passed
The Albanese government introduced two climate-related bills into the Parliament on March 27.This includes a Net Zero Authority to support the country’s transition to net zero, backed by $189.3 million of taxpayer funds.
Further, the government introduced laws to mandate climate reporting for big businesses from January 2025.The Treasury Laws Amendment (Financial Market Infrastructure and Other Measures) Bill (pdf) will require large companies to complete a climate statement together with their financial statements.
On April 1, Mr. Bowen also advised 100 new EV fast-charging sites had been rolled out in Australia in the first half of 2024.
