Article – Lambie suggests RET change

4 July 2014
John Conroy
Herald Sun
Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has told ABC radio she has managed to persuade Clive Palmer that big business, such as aluminium smelting, in Tasmania should be exempt from the Renewable Energy Target.
Senator Lambie said she had convinced the party leader that Tasmania should be branded a “special economic zone” and that included ensuring changes to the RET. The revelations means that the government may have to alter the RET legislation, which would open up the possibility of other amendments to the scheme.
One possible way to exempt aluminium would be to reduce the overall target to reflect electricity demand without aluminium, which is a significant portion of power demand in Australia.
“I get my way, I don’t back down,” Senator Lambie said. When asked for an example, she said: “The RET scheme, especially in Tasmania, letting him know we’d spoken about the special economic zone that Tasmania needs to be branded under and he agrees there should be an exemption for big business.
“But as long as it doesn’t affect the solar people that have outlayed money, especially pensioners, for their solar systems.”
Senator Lambie said there had been little disagreement in the party room so far.
“There hasn’t been a lot of controversy in that area so far. Clive’s a good listener and I appreciate that.”
Courtesy of the Herald Sun