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

Thank you, Senator Minchin; I will take that interjection. You actually presided over a reduction in that period in government and then, in relation to the introduction of the MRET, in fact you ignored the review that you yourselves commissioned, conducted by former Senator Tambling, who recommended increases in the RET. You did not take that advice and, as a result, when you left office it had actually declined. In relation to the eligibility of small-scale technologies and heat pumps, what the government indicated is that we would send, through the COAG process, some specific issues that were not addressed when the expansion of the renewable energy target was first discussed by COAG. So, in the discussion as to the design of the expanded renewable energy target, some specific issues that required further consultation with stakeholders and further analysis were referred for review and report to COAG by the end of 2009. The senator is correct: that did include the eligibility of heat pumps under the renewable energy target. (Time expired)