Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister Simon Birmingham, representing Mr Frydenberg. As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I ask: is the minister aware of the Queensland government's destructive 50 per cent renewable energy target by 2030, one of the highest in Australia? With energy security, reliability and prices threatened by policies of the extremist Greens, is the minister aware of the recently released frightening manifesto of the Queensland Labor government that outlines these outrageous policies? Is the minister cognisant of, or even sympathetic towards, the reality that a 50 per cent renewable energy target presents real and present danger to the security, prosperity and health of my home state of Queensland? Can the minister please inform senators how the federal government envisages the subsidies of $10 billion required to attract the companies to build these renewable energy projects being funded? Although the Labor government bizarrely claims energy prices will fall, contrary to all other experiences, how will the minister guarantee prices will not increase?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Roberts for his question, which at least, unlike questions from those opposite, is focused on policy and the interests of the nation. Senator Roberts, we are aware of the stated intentions of the Queensland government and I can tell you—through you, Mr President—that energy security of course is critical to all Australians and must be a top priority for a successful economy. Queensland, we recognise as a government, is home to a range of businesses, including major electricity users like the three LNG export plants and Boyne Smelters. These businesses, and many others, are dependent on a secure, reliable and affordable energy supply to deliver vital export dollars for Australia.

We cannot afford to let them suffer the same fate that is threatening some business and industry in my home state of South Australia. We have had four South Australian large economic contributors who, by being without power for 15 days, have cost the economy tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars. Those businesses, of course, now face big repair efforts as a result, and it comes on top of other incidents that show the challenge of high price and low reliability due to the unique circumstances in SA. Last Friday, Minister Frydenberg called a meeting of the COAG Energy Council to discuss those events in SA. That meeting agreed that the prime responsibility—the prime responsibility—of ministers is to ensure the security, reliability and affordability of the energy system for all Australians. They commissioned an independent review, to be led by Dr Alan Finkel, our Chief Scientist, to develop a blueprint for energy security with recommendations outlining the policy, legislative and governance settings.

Queensland has not offered any evidence that its unrealistic 50 per cent target can be met without compromising security. The Palaszczuk government has made the completely ridiculous claim that there will be no closures of coal fired generators as a result of this policy, despite the huge loss of coal fired generation it assumes will occur. Our department estimates the cost to be $27 billion. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Roberts, a supplementary question?

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister produce for the Senate empirical evidence—that is, measured data and physical observations—that categorically proves humans are affecting climate change and, as such, these deindustrialisation renewable energy policies are required to stop the benefits of a naturally variable climate?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Turnbull government accepts the science of climate change. We take our advice from the Chief Scientist, the CSIRO, the Bureau of Meteorology, the Department of the Environment and Energy as well as leading world scientific organisations such as the World Meteorological Organization. According to the World Meteorological Organization, global average temperatures have increased by almost one degree since the start of the industrial revolution; 2015 was the warmest year on record for the globe. According to the CSIRO, Australia's climate has also warmed by around one degree since 1910. Eight of the 10 years of Australia's warmest years on record have occurred since 2002, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The reality of climate change is why we are a party to strong global action to reduce emissions. It is why we are delivering the types of policies that are sensibly meeting and exceeding our emissions reduction targets, as I outlined in response to Senator Di Natale before, but doing so in a way that is far more focused on the protection also of jobs in our economy while reducing our emissions. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Roberts, a final supplementary question?

Malcolm Roberts (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the government support an urgent Senate inquiry into the Australian renewable energy market with terms of reference focusing on energy security, reliability and prices?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I outlined in relation to the primary question, the government has taken action to respond to some of the challenges in the energy market, particularly those posed by the increasing mix of renewable generation. It was at the COAG Energy Council meeting on 7 October that an independent inquiry was established to develop a national reform blueprint to maintain energy security and reliability in the national electricity market, under the leadership of Dr Finkel. This review will draw together and build on the analysis and findings of a number of reports commissioned by all Australian governments through the energy council, including reports by the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Australian Energy Market Commission into future power system security and the impact of carbon mitigation policies. It is the view of the government that any inquiry established prior to the report of the Finkel review being completed would be a premature undertaking.