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

I note the parliamentary secretary said that there is no point in having an energy efficiency target unless you have the mechanisms to achieve it. I think that was the most satisfactory answer I have had from the government all day as to why it will not move for an energy efficiency target: it is not prepared to put in place the mechanisms to implement it. It does not want to have a benchmark standard against which performance can be measured. It is the position of the Howard government that, unless you have the mechanisms to implement and achieve the target, there is no point in having the target. It will be interesting to see if it is also the position of the opposition. This is a straightforward amendment which is a mechanism to provide a national energy efficiency target for Australia. I urge the support of the chamber on this amendment.