Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Resources and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for the question. In doing so, can I say that the issue of a balanced carbon pollution reduction scheme in association with the Renewable Energy Target has been subject to serious deliberation by the government and the broader community for a considerable period.

I am pleased to note that the member for Groom has finally noticed the debate that is occurring in the community at the moment and the requirement for us to actually put in place a system which makes progress on the environmental front whilst also ensuring energy security for Australia. In that context, the operation of the electricity system is of primary importance to the government because energy security is the key to economic activity and growth in the future.

I might also say that it is about time the opposition appreciated that they, in government, previously indicated that an introduction of an ETS involved a price on carbon and a rise in the price of electricity so as to change the behaviour of the Australian community, both in households and in the business community. It is for those very reasons that the government have been in detailed discussion with the generators for the purposes of ensuring that we can guarantee energy security in the future and putting in place compensation, which will assist in changing the behaviour of the broader community whilst also minimising the impact on families and people on fixed incomes, such as pensioners.

In that context, can I say that if the honourable member for Groom is serious about getting the electricity system right in Australia in respect of the danger of lights going out in the future then he should be arguing in the coalition party room that it is time for us to end this debate so that we finally put in place a price on carbon in association with renewable energy targets. I say that because, as the previous minister, he understands that there are major decisions to be made in Australia in terms of future investment for the purpose of generation capacity which will guarantee energy security in Australia. At the moment, the business community is unable to make those decisions as it has no guarantee as to the investment horizons that will exist in the future because of the failure of the opposition to be serious about this debate.

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