Energy Savings Fund must be backed up with teeth - 21 March 2006

“The Energy Savings Fund is carrot. We also need some stick to see real results in curbing greenhouse emissions,” Mr Cohen said.

“The Government should start by adopting the Victorian scheme that requires large business to implement energy savings plans that have a 3 year pay back or less.

“Currently NSW law requires certain business to prepare energy savings action plans but they do not have to implement any of those ideas.

“The Victorian scheme requires companies to implement any energy savings plans that would pay for themselves – via lower energy costs – within a 3 year period.

“The Government needs to start getting tough on greenhouse. We need to see a suite of measures to put NSW on the coal-free clean energy future.

“Renewable energy targets, a new greenhouse target for 2020, no new coal fired power stations and a halt to the expansion of coal mining are the actions the Premier needs to take in the lead up to the 2007 poll,” Mr Cohen said.