Join Dr John Hewson and Save Renewables!

Below is an important message to GetUp members from Dr John Hewson AM, former leader of the Liberal Party, economist and company director. Your details have not been shared with anyone. You can join with Dr Hewson taking action to save the Renewable Energy Target by switching your power to the greenest energy retailer in under 5 minutes: http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/switch/join-the-switch-to-save-renewables?t=2QVxXh1om
<!--break-->Yesterday, there was some deeply disappointing news concerning our fight for a strong renewable energy powered future.

The renewable energy industry -- brow beaten after years of intense lobbying from the big 3 dirty power companies and a vicious offensive from the Coalition, struggling with significant job losses and decline in investment -- caved and reluctantly accepted a huge cut to the Renewable Energy Target (RET). They did this to save their industry, which is under attack. The outcome of this deal would be far from ideal, but our government wants a fate for the industry that is even worse. The death of the renewables industry, and the (short term) rise of the dirty 3: Origin, AGL and Energy Australia.

As a former leader of the Liberal Party I've seen first hand the undue influence big corporations can have over politicians and public policy. It's time to shift the balance away from the big energy companies and their dirty and expensive power habits to Australian consumers who want cheaper and cleaner power.

The dirty 3 companies are the main reason the Abbott Government is squibbing on its clear election promise to keep the RET at 41,000GWH. All three are complete hypocrites. They claim to support renewable energy while walking the corridors of power, lobbying to undermine it.

And, unlike renewable energy backed companies, they've been getting away with screwing households on their electricity bills by hitting customers with almost obscene profit margins as energy retailers too.

We don't need government legislation to break the strangle hold these big power companies have on our household energy, or our own clean energy futures. The dirty energy companies might want to protect their huge investments in coal, gas and coal seam gas, but we can -- right now -- stop them in their tracks.

How?

Join me in sending a powerful message to politicians and the dirty power companies that Australians want renewable energy and we're prepared to vote with our feet to get it. Pledge to switch your home or business power: click here: https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/switch/join-the-swit...

It's the one thing they will not be counting on, and right now it's the very best thing that you can do if you support renewable energy, our clean energy future and the job creation and investment it brings.

Yesterday's outcome is indisputably bad for all of us; for future investment in large scale renewable energy projects and job creation, for our clean energy future and for our power prices.

How did we even get to the point where even the industry that fought so hard for the RET is now accepting a drastically watered down stake in their own future success? You can point the finger squarely at the influence big companies like AGL, Energy Australia and Origin have on public policy, companies with a vested interest in bolstering the status quo of fossil fuel dominance and who have ensured the Coalition break their pre-election promise not to cut the Renewable Energy Target. [1]

These companies only really care about one thing - and that's their profits. So let's hit them where it hurts and pledge to switch to a company that supports clean energy and is backed by 100 percent renewable power.

Will you join me and thousands of GetUp members pledging to switch their energy supplier, and showing your support for clean energy? Click here: it takes just five minutes online to switch off the dirty 3 energy companies: https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/switch/join-the-swit...

Sincerely,
John Hewson AM.

PS Want to know more about the campaign or about Powershop? click here to find out more: https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/switch/join-the-swit...

[1] "The Coalition went to the election promising to keep the renewable energy target (RET), which underpins investment in energy sources such as wind and solar. But the prime minister has now taken control of a scheduled review in his own department and says the RET may have outlived its initial purpose and needs to be reassessed because it increases power prices." Tony Abbott launching a full frontal attack on the Renewable Energy Industry, Guardian Australia, February 6th 2014

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Our team acknowledges that we meet and work on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We wish to pay respect to their Elders - past, present and future - and acknowledge the important role all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to play within Australia and the GetUp community.

Authorised by Sam Mclean, Level 2, 104 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.