Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's great to be following Senator Urquhart in taking note of the answers that were provided during question time, but I struggle to understand the point of view that Senator Urquhart is conveying in this chamber. She commenced her contribution by talking about rumours and media reports about what was announced today, rather than actually focusing on the facts.

Talking about ignoring experts was one of the points that Senator Urquhart made. As the Attorney-General pointed out in his answer to questions asked by the opposition today, it was, in fact, experts that were relied upon for the creation of this policy—people on the Energy Security Board, many of whom were appointed by the former Labor government. These are people that the shadow spokesperson for energy has termed as excellent appointments as well. Obviously, what they do is good, so why are these experts now not producing work that's acceptable to those on that side of the chamber?

Not once in question time today did we hear the opposition talk about the issues of reliability and affordability—not at all. It was all about a particular obsession with one thing, and that's renewables—this talk of renewable jobs. I heard Senator Urquhart say that there will be thousands and thousands and thousands of jobs at risk because the renewables sector will only be growing at 4½ per cent. I thought I heard in there the word 'growing', which means that there should be more jobs being created. But it's like they're looking at that issue in isolation, not thinking about those who have to pay power bills—those factories that need affordable, reliable energy to be able to function and to produce the goods that they are there to produce and to support the workers who work in their factories, like dairy operations.

A couple of times during question time today there were references to obsessions with coal as well. Well, Senator Urquhart is a senator for Tasmania, as is Senator Singh, who asked one of the questions, the answers to which we are taking note of today. We also have a coalmine in our state, the Cornwall Coal Mine down on the east coast in the Fingal Valley, which employs a great many people in the regional community. Those opposite aren't concerned about those jobs. What about the people who work at the Cement Australia cement factory in Railton and the hundreds of people there? Does Senator Urquhart want to come with me to a factory located close to both of our electorate offices? Would she like to come out with me, meet the workers there and see how they feel about this notion of abandoning all support for industries that rely on that source of energy—a cheap source of energy? Probably not. I doubt she would accept my invitation to come out with me.

The notion of doing away with subsidies is at the heart of this great policy, which draws a line in the sand and provides certainty moving forward. It creates a situation where we will have reliable and affordable energy. It is something people have been calling out for—business groups, individuals down the street and people on the other side of the chamber. It's something they've wanted for so long. But here we are providing it, and all we get are complaints and criticism. No real analysis, just typical opposition tactics.

But the subsidies proposed by the opposition in their policy are $66 billion worth of subsidies to prop up the jobs that Senator Urquhart was talking about. That's what they cost. Who pays for that? The taxpayer. They're paid for through people's power bills! It's okay for people who live down in the capital city and who don't have to earn their money—