Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Pratt for her question and for her ongoing interest in climate change and how we support the jobs of today whilst we build the jobs of tomorrow. Today the Prime Minister and the Treasurer announced a $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan to support up to 90,000 jobs over the next two years, and an important part of this plan is the investment of an additional $3.9 billion in energy efficiency programs. That is $3.9 billion over and above what the Rudd government is already committed to in the context of energy efficiency policy; $3.9 billion in additional funding to make Australian homes more energy efficient and to support Australian jobs; new investment of $3.9 billion over and above the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme household assistance package, which is estimated to ensure around $6 billion per year to households when the scheme commences. As part of this plan the government will install ceiling insulation in around 2.7 million Australian homes; increase the rebate for solar hot water from $1,000 to $1,600 from today; and increase rebates to make rental properties more energy-efficient from $500 up to $1,000, also effective today.

So this is investment in jobs and also investment in the sorts of changes we need to make to reduce Australia’s carbon pollution and to respond to climate change. This investment will support the jobs of tradespeople and workers employed in the manufacturing, distribution and installation of ceiling insulation during this severe global recession. And it delivers on the commitment we made in the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme white paper— (Time expired)