Page 439 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
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Mr Smyth: We have got all those. But they are all secure; they are all fine?
MR BARR: Yes.
Subclauses 7(15), 7(16) and 7(17) agreed to.
Subclauses 7(18) and 7(19).
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (10.03): Just looking through this provision, obviously money for the Department of Environment, Climate Change, Energy and Water is an important appropriation. We have had numerous discussions already this week about the importance of responding to environmental issues. We took a position into the election in relation to climate change Canberra, an authority that we believe would have added a lot to this area. Nonetheless, looking at these particular expenses once again—relocation and fit-out costs, $100,000 of capital and $30,000 of expenses and depreciation in the outyears. As I made the point before in relation to one of the other fit-outs, $100,000 for a fit-out is not much, but we do not know the number of square metres, what the fit-out is for and how many staff will be located within it. But we might get some details on that.
Additional staff and resourcing are obviously necessary if you are going to set up a new department, but it is not clear to me—and Minister Corbell is not here—whether this is net additional. Obviously we are taking environmental resources out of existing areas, particularly from TAMS, but is this net additional? Perhaps the Treasurer can enlighten us on that. It appears that it is—I would assume that it is—but maybe she can just take us through it a little bit more, including the implementation of the electricity feed-in tariff. I am not quite sure what that money is actually for. Will that be for staff to oversee the program? Will that be for some other government spending? None of that is particularly clear from this, but perhaps the Treasurer can enlighten us a little when she closes.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (10.05): The ACT response to climate change has made significant progress today. After so many years of inaction on climate change, it is most pleasing that the Assembly has referred an inquiry with very comprehensive terms of reference to the newly created Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and Water this morning. This evening we are creating a new department that will be responsible for the implementation of what I hope will be ground-breaking new initiatives to be created by this Assembly in our attempt to combat climate change. As everyone is aware, appropriate and effective measures that address climate change will in many cases create far-reaching change for many, if not all, sectors of the community. This will be complicated and difficult to process and it is essential that we supply adequate resources for the task at hand.
Thanks to the Greens, the feed-in tariff will be implemented sooner than the original 1 July 2009 start date. We are keen to see that it is as effective as possible and are pleased that money is being specifically allocated for this purpose. With 72 per cent of the ACT’s emissions coming from stationary energy, the feed-in tariff should start to make inroads into that emission profile. We look forward to the ACT leading the way and hopefully showing other Australian jurisdictions just how successful such a scheme can be.
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