Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday, we had some rather unprecedented comments made by the US ambassador, John Berry. He said:

We have been surprised, quite frankly, at the extent of the involvement of the Chinese government in Australian politics.

Was he just talking about the junior senator from New South Wales' reckless and dangerous pro-China comments on the South China Sea or are there other areas where the Chinese government is having undue influence on Australian politics?

That is why I bring you to our policy on renewable energy. Photovoltaic solar panels are a wonderful invention. In the last five years we have purchased from China $3.4 billion worth of Chinese solar panels. I would argue that that money would be far better spent here in Australia on Australian entrepreneurs, businesses and researchers to try to have greater technological breakthroughs in the area of renewable energy. The reason I argue this is that the figures from the International Energy Agency 2015's report show that the world's annual production from PV solar panels is not one per cent of the world's energy supply but is only 0.1 per cent—less than one-tenth of one per cent. Even on their most optimistic forecast, by 2040 energy production from solar panels will amount to 0.7 per cent.

Therefore, I argue that rather than this country spending tens of billions of dollars on importing solar panels from China the money would be far better spent in Australia on research and development. But when I put that case there are groups out there in Australia at the moment arguing against that position. They are financed by none other than Chinese solar panel manufacturers, which themselves are financed by the Chinese government.

We need to ensure that we are doing what is in the best interests of Australia and the long term. It is my opinion that for this nation to spend $10 billion in the coming years to import Chinese solar panels is not the best use of our money. That money would be far better invested and spent here in Australia on research and development.