Page 4407 - Week 12 - Thursday, 24 October 2019
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Whilst I acknowledge the support of the opposition on this particular issue, I think it is appropriate to highlight that this approach is not tripartisan in regard to all matters in responding to climate change. I think it is important to call that out whilst also acknowledging the level of maturity in relation to this particular issue, Madam Speaker. In indicating the Labor Party’s support for this particular piece of legislation today, we also acknowledge that there is much more that we will need to do as a community on a range of other issues as we respond collectively to climate change.
An incident having occurred in the gallery—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Whilst we enjoy your enthusiasm, we ask the gallery to remain silent. Thank you, sir.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong—Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability, Minister for Corrections and Justice Health, Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety and Minister for Mental Health) (5.27), in reply: To close the debate, I thank members for their support for the Electricity Feed-in (Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation) Amendment Bill 2019. As has been discussed, the bill will enable the ACT government to continue to deliver its legislated 100 per cent renewable electricity target on an ongoing basis post 2020. The Assembly recently passed the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction (Renewable Electricity Target) Amendment Act, which legislated an ongoing 100 per cent renewable electricity target post-2020, thus ensuring that we will maintain delivery of 100 per cent renewable electricity in perpetuity.
The renewable electricity delivered under this program is critical for the ACT’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction target or net zero emissions by 2045, as well as for the interim targets for 2020 onwards. Once the ACT reaches 100 per cent renewable electricity, which will be on and from 1 January 2020, our future greenhouse gas reduction targets will require a decarbonisation of natural gas and transport fuel consumption.
The ACT government is preparing for forecasts that suggest that a significant portion of this decarbonisation effort will take place through change to electric alternatives, such as reverse-cycle heaters, electric vehicles and electric or induction cooktops, which will lead to increases in electricity demand.
The ACT’s population also continues to grow quickly, increasing the amount of electricity demand. To maintain 100 per cent renewable electricity into the next decade, and therefore maintain zero emissions from electricity, the ACT government has announced a new renewable electricity auction to procure more renewable electricity supply as required to deliver on legislated targets. This auction will be held later in 2019 and into early 2020 and will secure our zero carbon electricity supply well into the next decade.
The Electricity Feed-in (Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation) Act 2011 currently imposes a 650-megawatt limit on feed-in tariff entitlements that may be held. To date, 641 megawatts of entitlements have been awarded to 10 large generators
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