Page 3206 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 18 August 2009
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scheme? Why have they done so? Perhaps it has to do with some of the climate change sceptics in their ranks. Perhaps—
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Corbell! Mr Corbell, I recall that the question was about the progress of the feed-in tariff. I invite you to return to the question.
MR CORBELL: We do not want to see the progress of the feed-in tariff impeded by members of this place who say one thing and do another. We do not want to see those like Mr Seselja who say, “I don’t need to be convinced about environment issues. I’m of the generation—that is just second nature.” If it is second nature, Mr Seselja, why do you say one thing and do another when it comes to the feed-in tariff regime? Why do you vote for it and then change your mind and abandon all support for it?
What it shows is that the Liberal Party cannot be trusted on climate change, cannot be trusted to support progressive policies that are being endorsed and picked up by hundreds and hundreds of Canberra households. (Time expired.)
MR SPEAKER: Ms Burch, a supplementary question?
MS BURCH: Thank you. Can the minister go on to tell us how important this feed-in tariff is to Canberra’s reputation as the solar capital of Australia?
MR CORBELL: The feed-in tariff would have to be one of the most important policy settings we have for positioning our city as a city which is pinning its future to renewable energy and sustainable development in the city.
It may not have occurred to those opposite but, when it comes to industry interest in investing in renewable energy generation and projects in the ACT the development of a real and progressive feed-in tariff is central to attracting that interest. Time and again since I have become minister for this portfolio I have seen and heard from industry representatives that they consider Canberra, they consider the ACT, to be the most credible city/jurisdiction in the country, backing renewable energy, backing sustainable development, because we have a gross feed-in tariff. They contrast it with the position of those opposite and other states around the country who are not serious in their support for renewable energy and do not support legitimate and progressive feed-in tariff programs.
It is important, I think, to note some of the comments that have been made in this debate, in particular the comments of Mr Seselja when he led the Liberal Party’s support for the feed-in tariff regime back in February of this year. He said:
Australia not only has sunshine, but we have world-class scientists, many based at universities in Canberra, who are producing cutting edge solar technology. We need to utilise this for the good of the environment and the nation. This bill seeks to encourage Canberra families to utilise this technology by installing renewable energy generators in their homes by offering a premium rate for any electricity they feed into the grid.
Hear, hear! We agree. But what has happened to Mr Seselja’s support? He goes on to say:
The electricity feed-in scheme is a good start but we need to see much more …
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