Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fremantle for his question and his leadership in all matters climate and environment related over his time in this parliament. As he knows and as the House knows, this government was elected with a mandate of rebuilding Australia's energy system after 10 years of denial, delay and dysfunction. We did that with a view to building our energy grid to become 82 per cent renewable by 2030, which is ambitious but achievable, and we will be world leading when we achieve it.

Of course, we have started implementing the policies to do just that with, importantly, rewiring our country—Rewiring the Nation, our commitment to rebuild our energy grid. Just before Christmas, the Prime Minister and I went to the Hunter Valley to join with the Premier and energy minister of New South Wales to announce our New South Wales commitments on Rewiring the Nation with $7.8 billion total of funding, which will unleash renewable investment right across New South Wales.

I know the member for New England hates renewable investment, including in his electorate, but the people of New South Wales welcome it. This will create 3,900 jobs right across New South Wales. This builds on our previous commitments to the governments of Victoria and Tasmania. In Victoria our commitments create 2,000 jobs, and, of course, importantly, Marinus Link will provide the second and third links between Tasmania and the mainland and will enable Tasmania to reach 200 per cent renewables, creating 2,800 jobs in the process.

We understand that 'emissions down and jobs up' is the driving motivation of rebuilding our energy grid and unleashing that renewable investment.

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