Page 1666 - Week 05 - Thursday, 5 May 2016
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We expressed some concerns when we read in the paper about the costs imposed on Canberra ratepayers that may result from the government’s target of 100 per cent renewable energy. According to a Canberra Times article on 29 April, the 100 per cent renewable target will add $290 to the average electricity bill at its peak in 2020. This is in addition to the already high fees and charges imposed on everyday Canberrans by the ACT Labor-Greens government, not to mention rates increases. This government is already hitting the pockets of hardworking Canberra ratepayers pretty hard. They talk about the cost of a cup of coffee a week, but when you add it all up it is far more than the cost of a cup of coffee a week.
The World Economic Forum provided a set of policy objectives which can be applied in the Australian context, and these should be considered by the ACT government to develop sound and enduring policy direction. Renewable energy policy, according to these guidelines, must complement national energy policy. Over the next generations the Australian electricity supply system will be transformed from a majority reliance on fossil fuels to a system that meets our international obligations. But the policy should first and foremost address emissions reductions.
Stimulus-specific industries could be considered to be of secondary concern as these industries will survive or fail through national and international opportunities, not ACT government opportunities. Australia contributes about 1.4 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions. According to a 2013 Department of Industry report, the ACT directly generates about 0.2 per cent—that is one-fifth of one per cent—of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions. If you adjust the ACT figure for power consumption provided to it from other states, then we are responsible for about 0.7 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. The ACT government is therefore incurring enormous costs to reduce about 0.28 of one per cent of Australia’s emissions of this nature.
It is always nice to feel that you are a leader in the field, but you are only a leader if someone follows you. At this point we have not seen all the other states and territories in Australia clamouring to follow the lead. We already had a 100 per cent target by 2025. Given the lack of opportunity for scrutiny, I am unconvinced of the need to bring that forward to 2020.
Having said that, we will not be opposing the bill today. As I said earlier, the Canberra Liberals have a strong commitment to renewable energy and have had such a commitment for many years, long before ACT or federal Labor were interested in renewable energy targets.
Mr Barr: Back in the olden days when the Liberals used to believe in something and weren’t run by the conservative right, hey?
MS LAWDER: Because I interrupt you all the time when you’re speaking, Mr Barr! Yes, for sure!
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can we get back to business so we can come to the end of the day, perhaps.
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