Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have to say that being lectured by those on the other side of the Senate about climate change is about as convincing as being lectured by them about pensions. Just as those on the opposite side were not prepared to do the serious public policy work required to solve the problems faced by pensioners, they are not prepared to even take the first step required to face up to the challenge of climate change and ratify the Kyoto protocol.

But, as with pensions, it seems that the opposition’s electoral defeat last year has precipitated a sudden conversion. They have seen the light. Apparently they just cannot do enough on these issues now—except, as with pensions, their conversion is not a conversion of the heart; it is just skin deep. It is a conversion based on political expediency. We can see that by the fact that there is no evidence that the opposition have done, or are even willing to engage in, the serious public policy work that is necessary to deliver real outcomes in this area. They do not want to debate the hard questions about how limited resources can best be directed to achieve the most gains while protecting the most vulnerable as we work towards the transition to a truly environmentally sustainable economy. No, they are just after some cheap, quick and dirty political points.

Unlike those opposite, we on this side of the Senate are committed to assisting Australian households to take practical action on climate change. The solar panel rebate is one initiative among many in a comprehensive suite of Rudd government programs aimed at assisting households and communities to increase their use of renewable energy and to improve their water and energy efficiency.

Self-interest would dictate that I should be on the other side of the chamber for this debate. I was indeed in the process of applying for a grant to install solar panels at my home. My partner and I were a fair way down the path. I even had a solar company come around and have a look at the house and the roof. However, such was the level of interest in this rebate in about March last year that, as I was taking an interest, so too were many thousands of other Australians. And, yes, that is a great thing—you would be mad not to; it was too good to be true, as the cost of systems was coming down to such an extent that the $8,000 rebate covered anywhere between 50 and 90 per cent of the household’s costs.

Since its introduction, the demand for household solar rebates has continued to increase to record levels. In the six weeks leading up to the introduction of the means test, the department was receiving an average of 365 rebate applications a weak.