We should remind everyone that it was Abbott as prime minister who legislated the RET in the first place, crowing that it would put help lower energy prices as well as give businesses certainty when investing in renewable technology.
Abbott’s cabinet was split at the time, with conservatives arguing against the RET, but the then prime minister overruled them and sided with Greg Hunt and Ian Macfarlane, who wanted the 20 per cent target enshrined in law.
On 23 October 2014 Abbott told parliament “this government supports a 20 per cent renewable energy target, a real 20 per cent target”.
Fancy being the minister responsible now, Josh Frydenberg. He backed Abbott against Turnbull’s leadership challenge until the bitter end. Frydenberg was a loyalist, yet he is now on the receiving end of Abbott’s criticisms as the responsible minister who must defend the policy. While conservatives might wish that the government never legislated the RET in the first place, having done so means announcing plans to scrap it would only put upward pressure on energy prices.
