Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our government is committed to making Australia a global renewable energy superpower. Since coming to government, and after a decade of delayed action from those opposite on climate change and on transforming our energy generation system, we've implemented the necessary strategies to reduce our emissions. Doing nothing is not an option. Over the past 12 months we've introduced a gas and coal price cap to drive down prices, and this has delivered significant decreases in energy prices. We've also delivered significant funding for energy upgrades for households and businesses. Cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy is not only good for the environment; it's also key to our nation's economic prosperity.

But, as we seize the opportunities of our net zero transformation, it's important that rural and regional Australia is part of that journey. Regions such as the one I represent, in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands, have an important role to play in our nation's energy transformation; in fact, they need to be part of it. It matters to households because, without it, energy bills will go up and up and up. But it's also critical to industry because there is no future for manufacturing without a viable, robust, productive and profitable renewable energy industry. No renewable energy means no manufacturing, and that matters so much to the electorate that I represent.

It's why our government is listening to communities as we invest in cheaper and more reliable energy sources. It's a big job. It includes our investment in community batteries locally, in suburbs like Dapto and Warrawong and in other places—more to come. It includes lower emissions steel making in the critical BlueScope Port Kembla steelworks and our recent community consultations on the future of offshore wind proposals in our region. Why are we doing all this? Because we've got no choice. We have to do it. We need to reduce our emissions to protect our future and generate jobs through clean energy. It's absolutely a no-brainer. It matters everywhere, but it matters particularly to coastal communities.

The good news is there are huge economic and environmental benefits waiting at the Illawarra's doorstep if we embrace renewable technology. An offshore wind industry in the Illawarra can support over 2½ jobs during construction and another 1,250 ongoing jobs once that's complete. And just one rotation of an offshore wind turbine provides as much energy as an average rooftop solar installation generates in a whole day. Yes, we have to listen to communities and, yes, we have to protect the visual benefits of our region and ensure that amenity is protected, but we can do these things and we will. I'm engaging closely with the energy minister to protect these values.