Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to take note of the answers from Senator Brandis on the Prime Minister's disastrous lack of climate change policy and the ongoing divisions in the Liberal and National parties over this fundamental issue. It is an issue that we must come to terms with and find a way forward on. The review by Australia's Chief Scientist gives us just that. The Chief Scientist proposes a mechanism—a clean energy target—which predicts lower electricity prices for consumers as well as investment certainty in our energy sector. Labor want to give this review and its recommendations a chance, but we need a respectful debate. That begins with all parties respecting the office of the Chief Scientist and examining his report and his recommendations without prejudice.

In my home state of Tasmania renewable energy has been fundamental to our economy for over half a century. Access to cheap hydropower has supported tens of thousands of jobs in heavy industry and will continue to do so for decades to come. Going forward it is vital that our energy and climate change policies provide the certainty industry needs to continue to make investment in Tasmania. What Tasmania needs is for Senator Abetz and the Tasmanian Liberal Senate team to represent the Tasmanian people's interests in the party room, to set aside their ideological positions and to actually examine the evidence. We must find a way forward because at present the energy policy uncertainty is driving up energy prices and is driving down investment in renewable energy.

I remind the Senate of the comments from the chief of staff to the Prime Minister Mr Abbott earlier this year. Ms Credlin famously confessed on Sky News that the coalition made the debate about the hip pocket rather than the environment. The cat has been belled, Mr Abbott. Your scare campaigns will not work anymore. Despite this revelation, there is a large rump of coalition members and senators who continue to push an incorrect, illogical argument that further renewable energy investments will drive up power prices.

Senator Brandis was asked by Senator Farrell about the status of the debate in the coalition. He claimed that the coalition considers the evidence and then engages in a debate. I put it to the Senate that, in fact, what we have seen take place is the coalition receive the evidence and receive some sensible recommendations and then the 21 of them completely ignore that in the party room meeting. Senator Back stood up at the conclusion of Senator Farrell's questions and added some commentary at the start of his question and said that he would now ask a serious question of the Attorney. What a farce the coalition government has become. How can questions about the government's lack of an energy policy not be serious?

I note that Senator Back made today's papers as reportedly speaking against the Finkel review's recommendations in the party room yesterday. In the last parliament I travelled the country with Senator Back on the Select Committee on Wind Turbines. Senator Back's clear prejudice against renewable energy was on display during that inquiry and it was on display again today. Either the coalition is serious about finding a way forward on climate change and energy policy or it is happy to continue the old Abbott game of scare campaign first and Australia's future somewhere way behind.

Senator Gallagher then asked if the government was any closer to reaching a position on energy and climate change. Senator Brandis's response was telling. He said that doing nothing is not an option and that the government must take action without delay. Senator Brandis went on and on about the long discussion in their party room, but he could not outline if the coalition under Malcolm Turnbull is any closer to reaching a position. Of course, given the prejudice displayed by his own backbench, one who scoffs at questions in this place and another who reportedly said 'Finkel in its current form is dead', it is no wonder that Senator Brandis could not answer Labor's questions today.

We have industry and consumers crying out for a clear policy going forward and then we have a Liberal and National coalition engaged in the most self-absorbed debate within their own party room. Labor are offering to work with the government to find a middle ground here. We want to move beyond the years of division and set in place a credible low-carbon energy policy for Australia's future, for our children's future and for the betterment of this country. It is time that the government started to put aside the silly ideological arguments, look at the facts and look at how they can develop policy, and we are prepared to work with them in doing that.

Question agreed to.