Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Once again, today in question time we heard a perpetuation of the fear and smear campaign that those opposite have delivered consistently, along their path of opposition, as critics of the emissions-trading scheme that we have introduced as a government. Many years ago, the Senate Select Committee on Climate Policy that Senator Feeney and I were both on heard at first-hand evidence from economists explaining why we needed to introduce a emissions-trading scheme in our country, to serve it well and look after our unique environment.

Let us look at the report card on the scheme, what this scheme has delivered since 1 July. For a start, emissions in the National Electricity Market are down now by 7.4 per cent. Renewable energy generation is up almost 30 per cent. I recall, during those inquiry hearings, people coming to us and explaining the renewable energy possibilities in this country, as far down south as the Great Ocean—wave energy, solar energy, wind technology. But all of those possibilities have generated one thing that I know those opposite have an issue with, and that is jobs. They will stop the jobs in this country if they are elected, because they will wind back all our renewable energy targets and accomplishments.

According to the report card, as a result of our emissions-trading scheme, there have been 150,000 new jobs created. If it were not for our scheme, those 150,000 jobs would not have been created. We know those opposite will stop the jobs if they are elected, as a result of them winding back the emissions-trading scheme. We also know that they will claw back the good household assistance packages that were provided to many low-income earners and pensioners around the country. Those opposite claim that they will not take those amounts back off them, but we know that is a fallacy. We know that that is the situation their actions will lead to.

Recently, I was privileged to visit a sauce manufacturing company in the southern industrial areas of Yatala, on the way down to the Gold Coast. I was down there a few weeks ago. It is only a small company—and we heard today in the chamber questions about the impact of emissions trading on small businesses. This is a small business of a little under 70 employees. But, as a result of our assistance as a government in granting them a bit over $109,000, accompanied by their own contribution, they have installed renewable energy technologies. There are solar panels on the roofs of the factory building now, generating solar energy back into the enterprise to make sure that they are getting the benefit out of doing something for the environment, because in doing that they are cutting their emissions. In addition, that is helping them to reduce their power bills by $19,000 and they are intensifying their operations by 31 per cent. That is what this sort of scheme is all about—assisting small businesses, assisting the environment and protecting people from the effects of climate change.

I want to address what is happening in my own state. Up there we have a conservative government. I have never seen such a conservative government in my life. The Liberal National Party up there—

Senator Sterle interjecting—

Senator Sterle, I will take that interjection. It would be a stark comparison between the two states to see which is the more conservative. Up there they are increasing electricity prices twofold. We have people out on the streets after the Premier up there sacked over 25,000 employees in that state. They are struggling on their knees, yet the Liberal-National Party Premier in Queensland wants to jack up electricity prices. You can imagine what that is doing to the economy and what it will do to people in that area. It is disgraceful that we see that sort of conduct from a Liberal-National Party government in my home state of Queensland. That is just a curtain-raiser for what we will see in this nation should we be extremely unfortunate and see those opposite form government in this nation. (Time expired)