Page 4450 - Week 10 - Thursday, 23 September 2010
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MR CORBELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank Ms Porter for the question. The government is proud of its announcement to expand the feed-in tariff for medium and large scale generators. This is a very important initiative for our city if we are to encourage the deployment of renewable energy generation at scale in the ACT.
Mr Hanson: It’s a broken promise. It’s a Greens and Labor broken promise.
MR CORBELL: I will take the interjection, Mr Speaker, although I know it is grossly disorderly, about the issue of breaking election promises. Let us be very clear about what the government committed itself to doing and what the government signed up to in its parliamentary agreement with the ACT Greens party. What we said very clearly was that we will deliver a solar power facility capable of powering at least 10,000 homes. Guess what, Mr Speaker? We are going to deliver it, and we are going to deliver it through a large scale feed-in tariff that will ensure that we get renewable energy at the lowest possible unit cost for the highest amount of renewable energy generated. There is simply no other way that you can construe it, Mr Speaker, other than that.
The government has announced that we will expand the feed-in tariff to large scale and medium scale generation. The government will provide a feed-in tariff for renewable energy generators from 30 kilowatts to 200 kilowatts and through an auction scheme for generators above that 200-kilowatt figure. What this will mean is that we will see renewable energy generation start to be deployed at scale in the ACT. The micro scheme has been a great success. There has been an increase of over 500 per cent in renewable energy generation under the micro scheme since the feed-in tariff was first established—established, I note, with the support of the Liberal Party, although now they are walking away from their commitment.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR CORBELL: They voted for the feed-in tariff scheme, but ever since that day they have opposed the scheme—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR CORBELL: despite the fact that thousands of Canberrans have welcomed it and taken it up.
Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Under standing order 118B, would you direct the member to answer the question and not debate the issue?
MR SPEAKER: It is an interesting point of order you raise, Mr Smyth, given the constant interjections, but I am sure the minister will return to the question he was asked.
MR CORBELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker, and indeed I will. The government is proud of this important policy announcement. It is one that will expand renewable energy generation in the ACT.
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