Page 2301 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 5 August 2015

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Indeed, the total amount of investment, the total amount of turnover in that business, that we will see over the next 20 years because of their success in the wind auction process is over $240 million of activity in the ACT economy. That is all because of a favourable and certain policy setting that makes a shift to a low carbon future. On 15 July this year I was very pleased to announce that, following on from the success of the first wind auction, the ACT will hold a second auction. I expect a faster turnaround for this process, and I will be announcing the details of those time frames very shortly.

As the Prime Minister’s tax on renewables continues, he is undermining his own recently minted but significantly reduced renewable energy target. He has made it clear that the only reason the commonwealth target exists is resistance from the majority of senators. With a federal election due by the end of next year, the renewable energy industry remains in significant doldrums. My call to the renewable energy industry is clear: the ACT supports the development of your projects; we see economic and environmental benefit from it; and we want you to consider joining our high skill, dynamic, knowledge-based economy.

There is much more I could talk about today, but time prevents me from doing so. I commend Ms Porter’s motion to the Assembly. (Time expired.)

MS LAWDER (Brindabella) (11.21): I thank Ms Porter for bringing this motion to the Assembly today. Renewable energy is an important issue for all Canberrans and it is often hotly debated in all jurisdictions. I move:

Omit all words after “notes that”, substitute:

“(a) the Federal Government has issued a draft directive to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for it to focus on emerging technologies;

(b) the Federal Government has announced a commitment of a renewable energy target of 33 000 gigawatt hours of annual renewable energy production;

(d) the ACT Government’s renewable energy target is the highest of any Australian jurisdiction;

(e) the ACT Government claims to be on track to achieve this target and expects to secure 65% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2017;

(f) the ACT Government has announced that it will undertake a second wind energy reverse auction in late 2015 to secure more renewable energy generation towards its 90% target; and

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