Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

With the election of the Albanese government in May last year, the people of Australia unequivocally voted to end the climate and energy wars. We all hoped that, soon afterwards, so did this parliament. Certainly, from our side of the parliament and from the crossbench, those wars are done with. Unfortunately, as is becoming increasingly clear, the opposition under this opposition leader wants the war to continue.

After a decade of climate and renewable energy denial, disaster and neglect, the Albanese government is taking strong action on the climate and the environment and is seizing the job opportunities that come from the promotion and growth of a renewable economy and a renewable energy future. Following on from the statement from the member for Warringah, I say that of course there will be debates about whether we should be going further and sooner, but we think we've got the balance right. We've spoken widely to all stakeholders in developing this policy that we've taken to the parliament and to the people at an election, and we're confident we've got the balance right.

As a first step, we've enshrined in law our emissions reduction target of 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero by 2050, ensuring that this is an obvious and effective target that is actively worked towards, not against. The Australian government is also supporting the transformation of our regions, which have always powered Australia. We are putting downward pressure on energy prices with affordable renewables, all while reducing emissions, which, of course, is good and necessary for our climate. Indeed, five out of six new jobs under Powering Australia will be delivered in the regions, not least in my home state of Tasmania.

Late last year, the parliament passed the Climate Change Bill, which was the first real climate change bill that had been brought to this parliament in a decade. At its core, it tasked the Climate Change Authority to provide advice on Australia's progress against climate reduction targets and to advise on new targets under the Paris Agreement, which will include a 2035 target. The Climate Change Authority must be a trusted adviser to government on climate targets, yet under the previous government there was first an attempt to abolish the authority, and when that didn't work they settled on gutting it completely—a modus operandi they put across all levels of government, it must be said. And gut it they did—so much so that the Climate Change Authority was not even providing advice on climate targets to the government of the day. That's how blind the Liberal-National coalition have been to our climate, to our environment and, frankly, to our economy. So steadfast in their denial of climate change are they that they actively defunded and ignored the agency that had been set in place to provide advice to government on one of the greatest challenges facing this country and, indeed, the entire world.

The 2022 bill also required the minister for climate change to report annually to parliament on progress in meeting our targets, which, of course, is what this government is doing right now with this annual statement. How refreshing it is to have a government in charge that takes responsibility for the climate and for the future of renewable energy, instead of seeking to deny, cover up, ignore and fudge the evidence of the impact climate change is having on our lands and our economy. I remind people in this place that it was the current Leader of the Opposition—with two former Liberal prime ministers, it must be said—who laughed at the impact of climate change on our closest neighbours as they combat the very real impacts of rising sea levels. How any member of the opposition has the face to stand in this place and speak to this statement about climate change is beyond me; they absolutely lack credibility on climate.

I implore members of the opposition who share our understanding of the impacts of climate change and who believe that the science is real: do more in your party room; stand up and be heard. At the moment, it's the naysayers, the deniers, those who have led the war for the last 10 years, putting politics above science and the reality that climate change is real—they're the ones winning your party room debates. You've got to stand up and be heard in the Liberal and Nationals party rooms to ensure that these climate change wars are finally put behind us.

During the 2022 federal election, Labor made its position clear: the future is in renewables. Renewable energy means both lower emissions and a stronger economy. Under the Albanese government, no longer will it be the policy of the government to hold back investment in renewable energy. Under the leadership of the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Australia has seen the renewable energy market grow from strength to strength, and it will continue to do so. Investment certainty has now returned to this market. The private sector knows that it has a government in charge that believes in the future of renewable energy, and we are seeing investors flock to the sector. Already electric vehicle sales in Australia are up 86 per cent since last year. We are catching up at a cracking pace after being left behind for the last 10 years, but there is still more to do. That is why the Australian government has made changes to the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act, making electric, hydrogen and plug-in hybrid cars below the luxury car tax threshold exempt from the fringe benefits tax. In action, this slashes the cost for employers to switch their fleets to EVs, which means more electric vehicles on our roads and lower emissions. In real figures, that's a saving of up to $12½ thousand on the purchase of an EV for an employee. At the same time, individuals can save up to $4,300. No wonder we've seen EV sales skyrocket this year. The demand is there from the public, and finally it's being met. This government has made owning EVs more affordable and more accessible.

At the same time, we are ensuring that our Driving the Nation plan becomes reality, with an investment of $500 million into the national EV charging network. This means there will be charging stations at intervals of 150 kilometres on major roads across Australia. Charging technology is improving all the time. It takes a little time these days to charge an EV, but that waiting time will progressively become less and less over time, which will make EVs even more appealing. Those opposite scorned a future with electric vehicles. One of the most disgraceful acts during the 2019 federal election was senior members of the Liberal Party—not least the former Liberal Prime Minister—saying that Labor was 'ending the weekend' with our policy on electric vehicles. It was great for a headline, great on TV, but absolutely damning for national policy. It put electric vehicle policy in this country back three years, but this government is turning that around.

Under the Australian government's Powering Australia and Rewiring the Nation plans, we are putting renewable energy and clean energy futures at the forefront of our agenda. This has commenced already, with our investments in rewiring the nation being fast-tracked for critical projects in Tasmania. The fast-tracking of the Marinus Link in Tasmania will deliver two undersea transmission cables to connect Tasmania and Victoria. It has been a long talked about and long neglected project, but Labor is making it happen. It took this government no time to commit funding and get the show on the road when we came to power. Marinus Link will support 1,400 jobs in Tasmania and another 1,400 jobs in Victoria during the construction phase. It will also provide a strong boost to the Tasmanian and national economy with up to $4½ billion in positive net market benefits. It's through the leadership and investment of this government, this Minister for Climate Change and Energy and this Prime Minister that my home state of Tasmania has a brighter and cleaner energy future ahead of it, one that has secure jobs at its centre and, of course, fewer emissions in our power structures.

Our commitment to renewable energy doesn't stop with Marinus in Tasmania. The Albanese Labor government has invested in the future of secure Tasmanian jobs and manufacturing by helping to kickstart the LINE Hydrogen project in the north of the state. LINE Hydrogen is working to produce Australia's first operational commercial-scale hydrogen facility, and, thanks to the Albanese government, it will call Tasmania home. Hydrogen is a very exciting prospect for renewables. I could go on and on about Labor's commitment to climate change and renewable futures, but I'll leave it there. It's fantastic to see that the war has ended from our side, and I only hope the Liberal and National parties see sense and end the war from their perspectives as well.

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