Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water) Share this | Hansard source

Australia will have real renewable energy legislation. Australia will have a 20 per cent renewable energy target and Australia will have the beginnings of a clean energy revolution. This is the legislation which the government itself delayed. This is the legislation that we have brought forward. This is the legislation that we worked to get passed. It is a great result for Australia. It is a great result for the clean energy industry. We support it. We have worked towards it.

I am delighted also that it shows that the parliament can work at its best when the government agrees to negotiate and compromise. We have negotiated and we have reached an agreement. It is a tremendous result for the parliament and it is a tremendous result for Australia.

I thank the minister for his work. I respect the fact that Senator Wong also came to the table, and I appreciate that process of cooperation. It is what the parliament can do. If the government wants work in relation to the emissions trading scheme, they should begin unconditional talks today. No conditions. No strings. Let us begin talking. Let us deal today with the question of green carbon. Let us make sure that burping cows are not taxed. Let us get the taxing of burping cows off the agenda. Let us get green carbon and agricultural offsets onto the agenda. Let us negotiate today without conditions.

Ultimately, having this bill in this place on this day is a triumph for parliamentary process and parliamentary democracy. We support the renewable energy target. We support a clean energy revolution. It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the opposition to give our support and our agreement to the renewable energy target of 20 per cent.

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