Both the NSW and Tasmanian Labor state Conferences were held on July 26 and 27 2014. Both passed strong resolutions calling on the party not only to stand by effective climate action but also to raise Labor emission reduction target to 19%. Furthermore Bill Shorten made further strong statements about Labor's commitment to deliver climate action.

The resolutions both called on the party to adopt the Climate Change Authority's recommendation of February 2014 and raise the emissions reduction target from 5% by 2020 to 19%. Furthermore both conferences called on further reduction targets of 40-60% by 2030. See the entire resolutions here. 

The resolutions also endorsed Bill Shorten's announcement that Labor would take an emissions trading scheme to the next election, called for continued support for the Renewable Energy Target as it currently stands and condemned Tony Abbott and his short sighted approach on this important issue.

Federal Labor leader, Bill Shorten addressed the NSW Conference and again affirmed Labor's commitment to action on climate change:

"It is no coincidence that one of the fundamental questions for our future is one of their fundamental policy failures.

How is it that they can believe in a price signal to punish the sick and the vulnerable but not to punish the polluters? They love freedom so much they've made pollution free.

Delegates, Labor will fight and fight and fight again for real action on heat trapping greenhouse gases. The Fraser Government abolished Medicare for a while but it couldn't kill the dream of universal health care. The Abbott Government may stall action on climate change but they can't stand in the way forever."