Nita Green (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I should begin by thanking Senator Van for raising this matter of public importance and for his constructive engagement on matters of energy policy. I think about time all the time, Senator Van, when it comes to our energy policies and renewable energy. I think about the time that we lost after 10 years of a government incapable of landing an energy policy, because of internal division. I think about the time that we have in front of us and how quickly we need to make sure that we are transitioning our energy market so we don't miss out on the opportunities of renewable energy and becoming a renewable energy superpower but also so that we are in a position to reduce emissions and protect things like the Great Barrier Reef, which we know is constantly deteriorating after many years of the previous government ignoring its plight. There is obviously work to do when it comes to making sure that we have the cheapest form of energy and the most reliable form of energy, but we know renewables is the pathway for that, and that's why our government is committed to it.

We are also always looking at ways to improve efficiency of the network, and addressing curtailment of renewable energy is one of the most important things that we can do. We know there are other things that we are looking at in terms of network constraints. One of the ways that we are dealing with that is making sure that there are really good indications to investors about where they should be putting new energy projects, and the creation of formal renewable energy zones aims to provide these types of locations.

Our government is committed to making sure that we reach those renewable energy targets, and making sure that they can connect to the grid is part of that. It's one of the things that we have talked about a lot in North Queensland and in Townsville. This does give me an opportunity to talk about some of the good work that is happening between the state government, the federal government and businesses to really make North Queensland a renewable or green energy superhub. We've announced projects—for example, the Prime Minister and Minister Bowen announced the Townsville Region Hydrogen Hub, a $70 million investment which will create regional jobs in Queensland but also make sure that investment is attracted from around the world. We've already seen the German government invest in this project; that's how attractive it is.

We've had other groundbreaking projects tapping into that energy potential. We are looking at retrofitting batteries—that was one of the things that we had a look at—onto electric freight trains to create the market for this type of energy. A bit further down the road, in Gladstone, we've seen a significant project take shape that will deliver Australia's first high-purity alumina-processing facility in Queensland, all powered by renewable energy, ensuring that we can meet our net zero target.

These investments are supported by local businesses. I give a shout-out to the state government, which has invested in CopperString, which is all about connecting those renewable energy zones. We know that these are creating good, local, secure jobs in regional Queensland. That's why I think it is so crazy that we've had from the Opposition, who were unable to land an energy policy for 10 years and wasted all that time, a policy now that is anti renewable but pro nuclear, that will take longer to reach net zero, that won't meet the targets that we are seeking to achieve and that will shut down the jobs that have been created.

When those opposite talk about switching to a plan of introducing nuclear power plants and shutting down the renewable energy industry, they're talking about taking jobs away from North Queenslanders and investment that is going into North Queensland. They would rather turn away these jobs and these big investments—things like copper string, pumped hydro, our hydrogen projects, renewable energy and the Solar Sunshot program, which is actually creating manufacturing of solar projects in Cairns right now. They want to shut down all of those jobs, and I think it is really important that we are clear that there is only one pathway to cheap reliable energy, and that is renewable energy. Nuclear is the most costly and slowest form of energy, and that is why we are (Time expired)