Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move Australian Greens amendment (2) on sheet 5179:

(2)    Schedule 1, page 3 (after line 4), before item 1, insert:

1B  Section 4 (after the definition of monitoring warrant)

Insert:

payback period means the period of time it takes to recoup the cost of the initial capital outlay of an energy saving project.

This amendment relates to the definition of the payback period—meaning the period of time it takes to recoup the cost of the initial capital outlay of an energy saving project. It is an important insertion in the bill in relation to matters pertaining to implementation of the mechanism to require companies to implement their identified energy efficiency savings. This amendment defines the payback period. It is a straightforward amendment.

I note that Senator Colbeck, representing the government, still has not given us an explanation as to why the government opposes a national energy efficiency target. I hope in the course of the debate that we are going to get an explanation for that. He is, after all, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance and Administration. One would expect that there is a view on why the government does not want a national energy efficiency target, and I would like to hear what it is. The amendment I have moved is a straightforward definitional amendment.