Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to oppose the hypocrisy of this motion by the opposition and to, in particular, support the coalition's policy, as well as the Minister for the Environment and Energy's statements before. We need to ensure energy stability, reliability and affordability by our traditional power sources while enabling investment in renewable energy, battery storage and new technologies. We must ensure the lights stay on, and the prices stay low for Australian households and businesses, including in Dunkley.

Ours is a technology-neutral and non-ideological approach. So what are we doing? And what is the opposition's previous track record on this, as well as alternative policies? Firstly, on what we are doing, business as usual is not an option. In July, the COAG Energy Council agreed to immediately act on 49 of the 50 recommendations of Finkel's independent review, which will help drive down prices. This includes a new generator reliability obligation requiring intermittent sources of generation, such as solar, to provide an appropriate level of backup. It also includes energy security obligations to provide the necessary support services to intermittent sources of generation; a new requirement for large generations as well, to give a minimum three years' notice before closing; and, in particular, it calls on states and territories such as Victoria to accept the Chief Scientist's recommendation to adopt a science-based approach to new gas supply and to end their arbitrary bans and moratoria.

On base-load power: the Australian Energy Market Operator's dispatchability report confirms that the accelerated withdrawal of base-load power, as pushed by those opposite, creates major risks. Base-load power is what anchors our electricity system. Government will exaggerate work around this strategic reserve, which will beef up how AEMO currently contracts for reserve generation to manage summer peaks. The Prime Minister has also started discussions with AGL on keeping Liddell operating longer, which is important for families and businesses in terms of affordability. Indeed, we are also working with ARENA on multiple pumped hydro projects in multiple states, and developing Snowy Hydro 2.0, which will increase the generation of the scheme by 50 per cent and add 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy to the National Energy Market. That is enough to power 500,000 homes.

On energy affordability: too many families are not on the best power deals. Fifty per cent of households have not moved retailers or contracts in the past five years, even though savings are potentially significant. So the Prime Minister has secured agreement from retailers on immediate measures, which will be backed up by law, to put families and businesses first. This includes contacting all the customers who are now on expired discounts and telling them how they can save and requiring companies to report to the government and the ACCC on what they are doing to get families onto a better deal, as well as requiring companies to inform customers when their discount benefits end and ensuring that families and individuals on hardship payments will not lose benefits for late payments. Retailers will also contact another one million customers on standing offers, which are normally the most expensive rates.

The Turnbull government will also legislate to remove the ability of networks to appeal the merits of decisions by the Australian Energy Regulator, removing the ability of regulated energy network companies to game the system at the expense of consumers. This reform is critical, given that network costs make up a large proportion of household bills.

On gas: we have finalised tough new regulations in the gas sector to give Australian customers priority access to gas supplies before gas is exported. And we are calling, as I said before, on states and territories to drop their mindless bans on gas exploration and so forth.

At the same time, we are also renewing and investing in our renewable energy market. For example, Australia's emissions per capita and per unit of GDP are currently at their lowest level in 27 years, and Australia is on track to beat its 2020 target of five per cent below 2000 levels by 224 million tonnes. This is better than the 755 million tonnes by which Labor was estimating to fall short in 2012.

So, what's Labor's alternative? They're pushing a dangerous mix of policies that will hit energy security and affordability: a 45 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030; a 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030; an emissions intensity scheme; Labor's climate action plan, forcing the closure of coal-fired power plants; and no energy security plan. Labor's track record, whether it be on the carbon tax or other measures, shows their hypocrisy around this issue, and I call on them to take proper action, like we are doing. (Time expired)

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