Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A repeat of the decade of climate denial and delay that those opposite presided over would be absolutely disastrous for Australia. The Prime Minister was right to say that Australians do not want to go to another election where climate change is yet again a contentious issue.

The coalition has finally revealed the locations of their proposed nuclear power plants. However, this announcement raises more questions than it answers. What does it cost? Where does the waste go? Can you even build them, given that states have bans on nuclear? This policy screams zero consultation, zero thought and 100 per cent ideology—the coalition's ideological aversion to renewable energy. This policy will undermine investor confidence in renewables, delay any progress on climate action until at least 2035 and force Australia to become even more dependent on fossil fuels. The policy is devoid of detail on purpose. It is nothing more than a diversionary tactic to prevent the transition to a green economy.

In 2024, it is unimaginable that an alternative party of government would not be committed to addressing the climate crisis. The Albanese Labor government, on the other hand, has a robust plan to get us to net zero. We've reformed the safeguard mechanism, we've cut taxes on EVs and we're approving huge renewable projects, because that is what Australians demand of us. This announcement alone could undermine this investment at an absolutely critical point in our transition, and my constituents will not stand for it. (Time expired)