Energy investment is a long-term game. Energy infrastructure lasts 20, 30, 40 years. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about powerlines, fossil power stations or solar farms.

So certainty about government policy is absolutely critical.

When you’re investing in the energy sector you need to know what the targets are going to be for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Australian government’s National Energy Guarantee (NEG), as revised late last week, is making good progress but currently still could lock in uncertainty unless both major parties act in our national interest.

At the moment, we have a situation where the government is only backing a 26-28 per cent  reduction in electricity emissions, whilst the opposition is saying it would immediately increase it to a 45 per cent reduction in government.