Senate debates

Thursday, 9 February 2006

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

9:36 am

Photo of Christine MilneChristine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—
(a)
notes:
(i)
the announcement by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) that it will redirect its energy research work away from renewable energy towards ‘cleaning up’ coal, a priority of the Australian Government,
(ii)
a breakthrough in solar energy technology, developed by the CSIRO and a private company, with a turbine that has the potential to replace coal-fired power stations in 20 years, and
(iii)
that the CSIRO has had to look offshore for investment funding to advance its work on the solar turbine technology; and
(b)
calls on the Australian Government to re-prioritise its policy and funding objectives to provide more support for renewable energy so that Australian breakthrough research is not forced offshore for further development and commercialisation.

Question put.