Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Resources and Energy, Senator Evans. I refer the minister to the government's decision last year to negotiate the closure of around 2,000 megawatts of electricity generation by 30 June 2012. Is the minister aware that three of the five generators that have progressed beyond the expression-of-interest phase are located in the Latrobe Valley? Given that the government's decision has created uncertainty and negatively impacted business confidence in parts of regional Victoria, can the minister confirm whether the government has reached agreement with these five power generators on a closure arrangement? If not, can the government guarantee that such agreements will be concluded before the world's biggest carbon tax comes into effect on 1 July?