Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

I thank contributors to this debate, in particular Senator Ludwig, for a wide and far-ranging contribution that at times seemed to have little particular relevance to the legislation before the chamber. But I acknowledge his interest in matters that stretch further afield than perhaps Australia's energy efficiency arrangements.

The Energy Efficiency Opportunities (Repeal) Bill 2014 is important legislation, because it removes another red tape burden from Australian business. This bill has a commencement date that is retrospective of 29 June 2014, in line with the announcement that was made for the removal of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities Program. Repealing this program will save Australian businesses over $17.7 million per million. That is $17.7 million that can be funnelled into energy efficiency practices rather than being wasted on unnecessary red tape compliance. Ultimately, this program as it currently operates is all about assessment and reporting requirements placed on businesses. We hear others claim that those requirements have saved industry money. The truth is that it is the actions of industry and energy efficiency that have saved industry money. Businesses do not need regulation to tell them that they should save money by keeping their electricity bills as low as possible. It is common sense for businesses, for households, for anybody to be able to keep their bills as low as possible,

With this in mind, this program, although it has of course seen some achievements in its life, ultimately comes at a cost to business such that when it is removed we will be able to see that money go into efficiency elsewhere. I acknowledge that the Labor Party and the Greens do not seem to have seen any regulatory reporting arrangements, taxes or the like that they have not liked. But in this case I am pleased that Labor appears to not be a block of the change. We want to make sure in this place that across all areas we reduce the red tape and green tape burden as much as humanly possible. I heard during the debate comment about the Renewable Energy Target and the claim that it has created thousands of jobs. Well, the thing those opposite all need to learn is that when it comes to input costs like energy, when it comes to compliance costs like regulation, you want to keep them all as low as possible, because that is how you strengthen every other business in the economy and the rest of the economy. With that, I commend the bill to the Senate.