Candidates questioned about concentrated solar power in Port Augusta (Australia)

Repower Port Augusta, a non-partisan community alliance, today launched a scorecard grading where the Coalition, Labor and Greens parties stand on funding for solar thermal.

The group conducted a survey of candidates running for the seat of Grey, including sitting Liberal member Rowan Ramsey, Greens candidate Alison Sentance, Labor candidate Ben Browne and Independent candidate Greg Fridge and independently analysed the current policies of each party and how they would help make solar thermal a reality in Port Augusta.

“We wanted to give community members in Port Augusta and the region the best opportunity to make their vote count for solar thermal in the house of representatives and the senate,” Repower Port Augusta chairperson Lisa Lumsden said. 

“We will be making sure people have the opportunity to see the scorecard for themselves at polling booths on election day.”

While all of the candidates surveyed were supportive of the concept of solar thermal being built in Port Augusta, there was a considerable difference in the amount of funding that would be made available by each party.

“This election is critical for the future of solar thermal Port Augusta,” Ms Lumsden said.

“We need to see candidates and parties elected that will support funding for solar thermal and put incentives in place in order for change to happen here.”

Repower Port Augusta is encouraging residents to think solar when they vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“Sadly the Coalition are planning to scrap the existing $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and are planning to cut some funding from ARENA as well,” Ms Lumsden said. 

“To scrap the CEFC the Coalition would need to get it through the Senate, which makes it really important that our community votes for parties that support solar thermal in the Senate as well.”

The Repower Port Augusta Alliance is not affiliated with any political party and wants to see all parties backing solar thermal.

“Right now there is a significant difference between the parties on renewable energy funding and we want to make sure the community is aware of this,” Ms Lumsden said.

“But regardless of who ends up winning we need to keep up the pressure on all the parties to do more for our community.”