Page 1192 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 30 May 2007
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Having said all that, Dr Foskey, I do not disagree with your essential thesis—the point that you make in your question—around the need to ensure, as a community and indeed as an ACT partly owned company, that we embrace the need to do all that we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the Australian Capital Territory—indeed, within Australia. ActewAGL is supportive of this government’s determination to address the issues of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions cooperatively. It works with us on initiatives that might be pursued now and in the future in relation to how we might best address the issue of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr Foskey, you raise a quite moot point and, you now having raised it, I am more than prepared and happy to take it up with Actew, particularly in relation to the end or aim that it seeks to achieve and whether there might be a more effective way of achieving its purpose without encouraging greater use of electricity and thereby greater emission of greenhouse gases. Dr Foskey, I am happy to take it up and report back to you.
DR FOSKEY: I ask a supplementary question. What plans does the government have to ensure that Actew does perform a significant role in assisting the ACT community to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions?
MR STANHOPE: Let me say, Dr Foskey, that in every conversation I have had with Actew or ActewAGL in relation to issues around this government’s determination to vigorously pursue a climate change strategy and to work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Actew and ActewAGL, their chief executives and members of their boards have been fully accommodating and 100 per cent cooperative in ensuring that the government’s policies and position and desires in relation to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change are adopted and pursued.
It is relevant in that regard to note that the ACT government requires of Actew that 23 per cent of the power which we, as consumers, utilise is from green or renewable sources—the highest percentage purchased by any government within Australia for its own purposes of renewable sources of energy. That is provided to us by Actew. We have made significant demands of ActewAGL on our own behalf. At 23 per cent, this government purchases more renewable energy for our purposes as a customer than any other government in Australia.
In the context of demands or requests that we have made of ActewAGL, they are always cooperative. In relation to the purchasing contract, there is not all that much of an option presented to them. But I think it gives some indication of the willingness and preparedness of Actew and ActewAGL to respond to the clear determination by this government to do all that it can to deal with the issues of climate change.
To the extent that there is a suggestion, and I see it referred to from time to time in letters to the editor and other commentary, that ActewAGL—and I guess this underscores the question you asked—as a retailer and business that is out there flogging its product to the greatest extent it can and employing whatever marketing techniques it can so that at the end of the day it sells more electricity, has an essential conflict of interest, that it has no interest in sourcing renewable energy and is only interested in its profit margin and the sale of more and more electricity.
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