John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's a little sad to see the opposition's desire to maintain the climate wars. We've had inaction bred by division for nearly a decade and a half. It has cost leaders on both sides their jobs and led to a more disruptive political climate. For the first time in a long time, we now have city MPs like me and the assistant minister agreeing with country MPs. Together we can get this done, but those opposite have sought to revisit a divisive past. It's time we came together so we can stop this constant and non-productive bickering and finally take some action.

Australia will achieve net zero emissions by 2050. We all should celebrate. Perhaps more importantly, we're going to get there by empowering people, if you will excuse the pun. Australia already has the highest rate of rooftop solar in the world. And, if you could see the weather in Bennelong today, you would see why so many people are putting solar panels on their roofs that energy companies are slashing the feed-in tariffs and working out ways to stop it flooding the system on hot days. This is a good problem! The Prime Minister talks about technology as our way through, and this could sound aspirational if it wasn't for our incredible track record in developing breakthrough technologies, especially in this area.

The CSIRO in my electorate, just across the border, also in West Lindfield, is home to some incredible advances in solar panel technology. These breakthroughs have led the world, and we look likely to continue setting the pace in solar technology. Hyundai in my electorate was home to Australia's first public hydrogen-filling station, and I believe there are plans to increase this capability rapidly. EVs and hydrogen vehicles are firmly rooted in the Australian market and are growing at an exponential rate.

We're also making wave breakthroughs in other fields—renewable energy. For the last few months, a large artificial blowhole has been sitting in the water off King Island, a prototype for a new type of wave power, and, unlike wave power in the past, the data in demonstrates it actually works. Wave Swell is an Australian startup and should soon be making these turbines for islands and coastal populations around the world. Many islands—King Island included—rely on diesel generators for electricity, so these turbines will turn island electricity green overnight. The waves roll day and night with incredible predictability, so it can operate as baseload power.

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