Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment and Water. How many renewable energy projects has the Albanese Labor government ticked off? How will these projects ease cost-of-living pressures for all Australians? How is the government's approach different to other proposals?

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Blair for his question. We had a lovely visit to his electorate recently, when he took me to meet the people—the good people—from Goodness Enterprises and have a look at the koala revegetation project they're engaged in.

After a decade of failure, of the Liberals' and Nationals' delay and denial, our government is delivering on a renewable energy boom. So far I have ticked off on 63 renewable energy projects. In fact, this year renewable energy will provide 42 per cent of the energy in our grid. I'm approving those renewable energy projects at record rates, and those 63 projects are enough to power seven million Australian homes. That's enough to power New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory combined. In fact, I'm approving about one renewable energy project every two weeks. Just yesterday, it was the 450-megawatt Goulburn River solar farm in New South Wales—enough to power 191,000 homes in the member for New England's electorate. On Friday, it was the 350-megawatt Sixteen Mile solar farm in Queensland—enough to power 160,000 homes in the electorate of the Leader of the Nationals. And there are plenty more where those come from. I've got another 136 renewable energy projects before me in the pipeline. We are cracking along with the transition to renewable energy in this country. We're putting cheaper, cleaner renewable energy into the grid, into people's homes and into people's businesses right now.

Of course, there is a risk to this. The risk is those opposite and their expensive, risky plan for nuclear power. Can you imagine what else we could spend the $600 billion on that they're planning to spend on nuclear reactors? The choice is very clear at the next election: a slow transition to risky, expensive nuclear reactors under the Liberals or a fast transition to cheaper, cleaner renewable energy under Labor. It's a choice between a plan to ease the cost of living right now, including with the $300 electricity bill relief, and the most expensive form of electricity, delivered in perhaps 20 years time, under those opposite. The last thing our country needs right now is that sort of insecurity. (Time expired)