Page 1698 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 3 May 2011
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Minister, under the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act 2010, you are required to set a renewable energy target within six months of the legislation being enacted. The government’s review of action plan 1, released in January 2010, states that “renewable energy initiatives will be incorporated in the sustainable energy policy”. During the March and April sittings, you said that the government’s energy policy will not be released until action plan 2 is released, after the commonwealth decides on a carbon price. Minister, given that the ACT government has not yet released its sustainable energy policy, how has the government reached a determination of what the renewable energy target should be, and what factors will be taken into account to determine the renewable energy target?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Hunter for the question. I am not going to announce today what the government’s renewable energy target will be. I am not going to pre-empt a policy announcement in question time, but I can assure Ms Hunter that the renewable energy target will be determined in accordance with the legislated time frame.
In relation to the issue of formulating what those targets are, and issues around action plan 2, I think I am being somewhat misrepresented. I think the point I made in answering previous questions about the timing of action plan 2 and the government’s energy policy was that it was important to have regard to developments at a federal level that could impact on climate change policies, such as the introduction of a carbon price. I do not think I suggested at any time that we should wait and see what exactly the price was, but it would be prudent to have regard to developments at a federal level before concluding decisions at a territory level. That remains the government’s position.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter, a supplementary question?
MS HUNTER: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, why has the government delayed the release of the sustainable energy policy such that both the renewable energy target and the feed-in tariff policies are being pursued prior to the policy framework itself being released?
MR CORBELL: The government can walk and chew gum at the same time, Mr Speaker. When the government announces its renewable energy policies, and indeed when it announces its renewable energy target, it will outline the basis upon which those decisions have been taken and the specific criteria and the specific considerations that have been taken into account in setting those targets.
MS LE COUTEUR: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Le Couteur.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, why has public consultation on action plan 2 been delayed for at least three months, and when will it commence?
MR CORBELL: It will commence when the government has finalised its consideration of action plan 2.
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