Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It will only be a Labor government that will continue to take action. Let's look at our record in the last 2½ years, noting that the Liberals wasted nearly a decade preceding it. We legislated Australia's first emissions reduction target: 43 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050. These targets are giving Australians certainty, driving investments and delivering tangible progress. Just this week we see media reports that we're on track to meet these targets, which shows that our policies are working.

Because of our policies, Australia is now a top-10 worldwide destination for renewables investment, and it's showing. In 2½ years, renewable energy in our national grid has increased by 25 per cent, with 13 gigawatts of capacity added. The latest Clean Energy Regulator report shows renewable energy generation will average 42 per cent this year, and it doesn't end there. We've approved over 65 renewable energy projects. That's more than 10 times the number of fossil fuel approvals. These projects will power over seven million Australian homes, and they include some of the largest renewable energy projects in the world: projects in the Northern Territory, wind farms in Queensland mining regions, and one of the world's largest battery systems in Victoria. Each of these projects brings us to our other target, 82 per cent renewable energy by 2030, which will help us get cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy.

By investing in renewables, cutting emissions and building energy systems, we're not only protecting our environment but securing our prosperity for decades to come. But, to stay on that path, we need to remain steadfast. If we want ongoing progress on renewable energy and climate action, Australia cannot risk a Liberal government in 2025 and beyond. Their record is clear. They'll repeal what we've done. They'll tear down the progress. They'll dismantle everything, just as they've done in the past. There's only one choice come election day.

See this speech in context