Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Environment, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

It's a delight to be able to speak to the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Amendment (Administrative Changes) Bill 2023, and it's great to be sharing this time with my good friend and colleague Senator Brown, who I've worked so closely with on so many issues, so that is an excellent start to this debate.

The coalition welcomes the introduction of this bill. The legislation has been designed to improve and to streamline the functionality of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Regulator, known as the GEMS Regulator. The GEMS Regulator works to reduce Australia's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions via the application of a nationally consistent framework which regulates the energy efficiency of products. This framework allows for nationally consistent labelling requirements to increase Australians awareness and provide information on energy efficient appliance choices, and also to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy consumption and therefore, most importantly, energy bills.

Most of us would recognise the energy-efficient star system on our fridge or our dishwasher. And while the review found that the act was effective in reducing energy use, energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions, and delivering these benefits in a streamlined, nationally consistent way, there were opportunities identified to add flexibility to the scheme, reduce impacts on the regulated community and allow it to adapt to changing market conditions and technology improvements.

The main purpose of the amendments contained in this bill are to act on some of the recommendations of the independent review and improve the implementation of the act through improving the regulator's performance and further reducing administrative burden. The coalition accepted the findings of the review when in government and continue to be supportive of the direction and aim of the GEMS Regulator.

The potential concerns surrounding this bill have been investigated through industry consultation and also a Senate standing committee on environment and communications inquiry. The coalition considered the potential impact on consumer prices, consumer choice and market competition and came to the conclusion that this bill would not influence such factors directly in a negative way. This bill does not in fact give the regulator power to alter standards, so if any substantive change were to be made which may risk high prices, less choice or restricted competition, this would come through a separate legislative instrument which we would review, as you would expect, on a case-by-case basis.

While submissions to the committee were largely supportive of the amendments, as was the feedback from the coalition's consultation directly with industry, we investigated concerns raised by the Airconditioning and Refrigerant Equipment Manufacturers Association, AREMA, and raised them through the committee and with government. We'd like to thank government senators and other committee members for their good-faith interactions with the opposition in allaying the various concerns that were raised, including those raised by AREMA and other stakeholders, by providing a detailed briefing through DCCEEW, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, and in particular the GEMS regulator team.

Following consultation, the coalition believe the stated aims of the bill will be met through these proposed amendments. We welcome the bill, as it's a practical and logical measure in its ability to, firstly, lessen administrative burden; secondly, improve response time to industry applicants; thirdly, align with international product categories; and, fourthly, provide more flexible application of the intention of the act. We thank the government for bringing this bill to the parliament.