Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The announcement this morning and this afternoon of the latest developments in the government's energy policy comes on the back of numerous other policy achievements. At the end of the parliamentary fortnight of this parliament four weeks ago the government successfully passed its media law reform package. In addition to that we've had success just this morning, today. The foreign minister has successfully argued and campaigned across the globe to make sure that Australia had a seat at the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Senator Urquhart's contribution was to reflect on Julie Bishop, the member for Curtin, the foreign minister, on how she wasn't completely aware of the details of this policy. Senator Urquhart did not even have the decency or the graciousness to acknowledge the great work the foreign minister had been doing with her No. 1 priority, which is, of course, managing the foreign affairs of this country.

But, ladies and gentlemen, we could have climate peace in our time, and it's beholden only to the attitudes of those on the other side, because there's a very, very clear choice here. They can choose to accept the expert advice, which was made clear in the blueprint which was laid out in the Finkel review—and I'll come to that in a moment—or they can choose not to trust the experts.

Senator McAllister interjecting—

Senator McAllister, some experts are more expert than others, I'm afraid. I suggest that the experts that the government has gathered together on energy policy are the right experts to be listened to. They are more expert than you, and, dare I say it, they are more expert than myself and than many, many senators in this place.

Before I get to the Finkel review, because this is very, very important—the Energy Security Board was a deliberate, conscious and well thought out recommendation of the Finkel review—Labor senators in this place have been keen to scoff at the suggestion that Australian residential energy consumers will be $100 to $115 better off a year as a result of the energy reforms of this government. They scoff at that. Let me remind you that under the carbon tax in my home state of Western Australia residential consumers would have been $134 a year worse off under Labor's carbon tax policy. All I do this afternoon is implore Labor senators to go back to the evidence.

For those of you who watch question time, you might recall that over the last few weeks and the last few months Labor has been quick to criticise the government for not accepting each and every one of the Finkel review recommendations. Today, the Prime Minister has announced, after very careful consideration, a plan that builds on a very specific recommendation of the Finkel review. To make it easier for people who might be listening at home or listening and watching in the gallery, all you need to do is go to page 26 of the Finkel review, recommendation 7.2 under the title of 'Stronger governance'. It makes it very clear. The Finkel review says:

The COAG—

the Council of Australian Governments—

Energy Council should immediately agree to establish an Energy Security Board to have responsibility for the implementation of the blueprint and for providing whole-of-system oversight for energy security and reliability.

It says:

• The Energy Security Board should be provided with the necessary funding to operate.

• The Energy Security Board should be comprised of an independent Chair, supported by an independent Deputy Chair, with the Chief Executive of the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Chairs of the Australian Energy Regulator and the Australian Energy Market Commission as members.

As part of the same recommendation it goes on to say:

• Administrative support for the Energy Security Board should be provided by the Australian Energy Market Operator.

Why is that, recommendation 7.2, important? Because it is the Energy Security Board that has advised the government and recommended the National Energy Guarantee.

The government has chosen to trust the experts, because this is an area where experts can and should be trusted. For those people who are interested in a more thorough explanation about why it is that the Energy Security Board is necessary—and I invite Senator McKim to start with this in his contribution—you only need to go to page 157 of the Finkel review to see why this is an important and solid first step in providing reliable energy to Australian— (Time expired)