Protesters gathered outside New South Wales Parliament on October 18 to call on Labor not to continue to publicly fund Origin Energy, the owner of Eraring power station.
The protest was supported by the Nature Conservation Council (NCC), Sydney Climate Coalition (SCC), Solar Citizens, Sydney Knitting Nannas and Friends and Healthy Futures.
About 100 protesters chanted 鈥淣o public funding for Origin's coal-fired profits! Transition now!鈥 as they marched from parliament to Origin鈥檚 AGM in The Rocks.
They want Labor to drop its plan to publicly subsidise the power station beyond its planned closure date of 2025. The corporation receives up to $500 million in public subsidies through the coal-price cap. Origin announced a $1 million profit in August.
Speakers included Gadigal elder Aunty Rhonda Dixon-Grovenor, NCC CEO Jacqui Mumford;聽Dr Charlotte Hespe, Chair of the Royal Australian College of GPs ;聽Nirvana Talukder聽from School Strike 4 Climate;聽Kate Minter聽from Rewiring Australia with聽Paddy Gibson from SCC chairing.
An open letter to Premier Chris Minns, circulated beforehand,聽called聽on his government 鈥渘ot to waste a cent鈥 on Origin Energy鈥檚聽Eraring聽coal-fired power station.
鈥淒espite the urgency of a transition away from fossil fuels, Australia鈥檚 greenhouse gas emissions聽increased聽over the last year,鈥 it said.
鈥淓raring鈥檚 annual emissions equal those of all passenger vehicles on NSW roads. The planned closure of聽Eraring聽in 2025 plays a crucial role in the NSW government鈥檚 own emissions reduction plans and must proceed.鈥
It said spending public funds to prop up a 鈥減rofitable, privately-owned coal generator鈥 could set back the energy transition.
Greater public funding should be spent on rolling out renewables and ensure job security for transitioning workers and communities, it urged.