Greens leader Christine Milne yesterday rejected calls for aluminium smelters to be exempted from the Renewable Energy Target, describing the sector as a ‘‘big polluter’’.

Senator Lambie pointed out that the Bell Bay Aluminium smelter only used renewable Hydro electricity and accused the Greens of betraying Tasmanian workers.

‘‘Labelling our aluminium industry as a ‘big polluter’ is an outright lie,’’ Senator Lambie said.

‘‘The only thing the Tasmanian aluminium industry is ‘big’ at is employing people and creating community wealth and prosperity.’’

Senator Lambie said the Greens were seeking to shut down all modern industry.

‘‘Ms Milne and her green cult members would like to make all Australians  live in caves and eat dirt – and we’d still be no closer to stopping the world’s climate from changing,’’ Senator Lambie said.

But Senator Milne said the RET had created Tasmanian jobs and investment.

‘‘Tasmania has benefited more than any other state in the nation from the carbon price and the Renewable Energy Target,’’ she said.

‘‘Undermining the renewable energy target would be bad news for Tasmania.’’

Energy Minister Matthew Groom called on state Labor to back the push for an exemption.

‘‘To support the Greens anti-jobs agenda would be comprehensive proof that Greens and Labor have become one and the same,’’ he said.

Opposition Leader Bryan Green said he was  waiting to see the federal government’s proposed exemptions, and accused Mr Groom of trying to score petty political points.

‘‘Labor continues to support a Renewable Energy Target and of course supports the best overall outcome when it comes to jobs in Tasmania,’’ he said.

Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic said this week that the RET was a significant drag on Bell Bay Aluminium’s operations.