Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The market operator has been warning of imminent blackouts. This morning, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy gave interviews on national television and national radio. At no point did he address the risk which households and businesses face of the lights going out. Later this morning, in a press conference, he was pushed by a journalist on this issue, and he at least assured the people of New South Wales that there would be no blackouts today. Well, today there has been a blackout in New South Wales, with 6,000 households having lost power. It's notable that since that blackout we haven't heard anything from the minister. He's gone to ground. He was very loud and very proud beforehand, but very quiet since that blackout. I'll look forward to him explaining this to the House today: why he's prepared to talk big until a problem hits.

Is this what energy security looks like under a future Labor government—not just this one, which is failing? Is this what it's all about? Its renewables-only policy is turning the lights out. They know it and the minister should own up to it.