Energy Minister Angus Taylor has defended the government’s decision to invest in ‘green’ energy as the coal industry faces upheaval from China’s trade war with Australia.

The federal government’s technology roadmap to a cleaner energy economy includes investment in gas, hydrogen and electric cars, however, coal appears to have been sidelined.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor was adamant the government’s green investments aren’t risking taxpayers’ money, telling Deborah Knight the majority of funding will come from the private sector.

“Technology, not taxes are the way we’re going to go about this.”

He also claimed the government would continue to invest in new coal projects, at a time where the coal industry is at risk of becoming embroiled in China’s trade war with Australia.

Mr Taylor played off the threat posed by China, Australia’s second largest coal export market.

“I worked in the resources industry for many years, and China was accustomed to doing this.

“It isn’t good, and obviously we’re working our way through it.”

Shadow agriculture minister Joel Fitzgibbon argued the trade war and its risk to coal were preventable, blasting “inflammatory language” used by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in relation to the COVID-19 investigation.

Mr Taylor retaliated, defending the government’s criticism of the Chinese government’s handling of the crisis.

“We should not trade away our values because it might offend somebody.

“That is not how Australians behave.”

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