Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

VAKINOU () (): I rise to welcome and support the Climate Change Bill. The Climate Change Bill 2022 is a tangible demonstration by this Labor government that it has been, and is, serious about meeting its election commitments on climate change. While we have plenty to do, we're not prepared to waste any more time, and we have begun this process as of today. There's been a tendency, amongst some commentators who like to oversimplify the hopes and aspirations of the Australian people, to present the climate change debate as one which divides Australians on class lines. There is a view that the demand for climate change action is somehow the preserve of the affluent and the privileged, that only those who have the time and money beyond their day-to-day survival care about so-called bigger picture issues like climate change. I can confirm that nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, in my electorate of Calwell, where the struggle to find secure work, affordable housing and enough money to pay the bills is real, people are also acutely aware of and deeply concerned about the future of our planet. In reality, it is not a case of jobs versus climate, or coal versus renewables, or economic growth versus a healthy planet. My constituents understand that a good government can and should tackle all these issues in a balanced and compassionate way.

I have an incredible number of very diverse linguistic and cultural communities in my electorate, and for many of them action on climate change is a very high priority. It's as much a high priority as it is in other parts of the country. In particular, I speak of the Fijian and the other South Pacific island communities, who have stressed to me, time and time again, the very real and immediate threat that unmitigated climate change poses to their birthplaces, where many of their extended families still reside. Rising sea level, floods and fires are very real and present dangers to these communities as well.

The importance of providing secure and stable settings for investment in renewable energy is not lost on my electorate in terms of jobs and new industry. This bill will provide a coherent policy to accelerate investment in renewable energy, transmission and storage. As the minister has noted, it is vital that we send a message to the private sector, who have wanted to invest in renewable energy but have held back because of a lack of clear signals from the previous government. The government's target, as outlined by the minister, is to reach 82 per cent renewable energy in our electricity system by 2030. Firmed renewables are the cheapest form of energy, and getting more renewables into the system will put downward pressure on power prices, while also reducing Australia's emissions.

The current cost of living is a huge concern to my constituents. Two of the most expensive but essential items on the family budget are, of course, power and petrol. The previous government's inaction on climate change did absolutely nothing to protect our environment, but it also did nothing to arrest the escalating cost of essential resources. The only way to ensure equitable and affordable access to power in the future is through policy settings that will help develop the whole-scale transition to renewable energy sources. I acknowledge, as many of us do, that this will take time, but that just makes it all the more urgent to put these policy settings into place right now.

Petrol is another issue entirely, and one I won't go into now, but the National Electric Vehicle Strategy, which is part of our suite of climate change policies, will hopefully help in the long run to reduce our reliance on this contentious and polluting commodity. Once the home of automotive manufacturing, Calwell is keen to embrace new car technology when it is a realistic and affordable option. I hope that that day comes very soon.

I strongly welcome this bill. I welcome the Labor government's genuine commitment to taking urgent yet considered action on reducing emissions and steering this capable and innovative nation to a strong economy based on renewable energy. I also urge us to remain true to our equally strong commitment to social justice. Transition is necessary but must always be managed in a way that doesn't leave disadvantaged communities behind. I believe the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, whose electorate is not unlike my own, has a thorough understanding of the issues of equity. Justice, equity and climate change are the three most urgent and pressing issues of our time, and I support the bill as the first step amongst many that this government will pursue to tackle these issues.

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