Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join with Senator Hughes in her comments around St Patrick's Day and the Irish community.

Tasmania is the home of renewable energy, and that's worth repeating—renewable energy, energy, energy. Tasmania is the first Australian state, and one of the few places globally, to achieve 100 per cent renewable electricity generation. That is something to be proud of, and, indeed, Tasmanians are.

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A pretty dim lightbulb sitting over there!

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This was the vision of a former Tasmanian Labor government led by the inspirational Premier Eric Reece, also known as 'Electric Eric'. What's more, the Albanese government has a plan to rewire the nation, which will fast-track clean energy jobs and security across the country. The October budget delivered our $20 billion Rewiring the Nation fund. The Rewiring the Nation initiative will deliver a modern electricity grid at the lowest cost, with more jobs and investment and, importantly, lower pollution.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Acting Deputy President O'Neill, the interjections are getting out of hand! The Rewiring the Nation plan is just another example of the Albanese government getting on with cleaning up the mess left behind by the former coalition government. The first investment from the Rewiring the Nation plan is to fast-track critical Tasmanian projects to unlock cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy, and to put downward pressure on energy prices. How good is that?