Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to associate myself with the comments acknowledging the fine contribution of an Australian citizen to the democratic process of this nation, albeit with a very different viewpoint to the one that I would be advancing. I acknowledge somebody who has passed from this life while I honour young people engaging in democracy in my contribution this evening.

On 25 September, Cowra Public School, in my beautiful duty electorate of Riverina, came to Parliament House and provided the findings of an investigation conducted by the year 5 and 6 students on the merits of renewable energy compared to alternatives such as nuclear power and fossil fuels. This analysis, which I have here with me in the chamber this evening, has been passed on specifically to me by the Prime Minister.

The students at Cowra Public School have been through a lot. In the last four years, they have experienced drought, bushfire smoke and record-breaking floods that split the town in half and devastated the neighbouring town of Eugowra. Climate change is as real for these students as attending school. That's why Cowra Public School students are overwhelmingly for the continued development and uptake of renewable energy, including solar, wind, hydro-pumped and geothermal electricity. The students understand that, compared to alternatives, renewable energy will bring down power bills, not produce greenhouse emissions and not create issues of long-term radioactive waste.

I appreciated the insights from Jason, who provided analysis of hydro energy and the effects of climate change such as rising sea levels, droughts, fires and heatwaves. Eve had some excellent insights on there being 341,000 wind turbines in the world, providing an emission-free, low-cost and efficient power source for Australia and the planet. Noah spoke to the abundance of solar in Australia, its potential usage in spacecraft and how it could be used to mitigate climate change.

The truth is that the students of Cowra Public School will experience Australia's transition to renewable energy in their lifetimes. Before they turn 50, Australia will, hopefully, be a net zero economy with employment opportunities and technological advances that we have no way of yet knowing. What I do know is that the Riverina will play a major role in Australia's green transition. In the pipeline are a variety of renewable energy hubs and storage solutions that will ensure the world of tomorrow will be powered from close to home on emissions-free technology.

Students of Cowra Public School, I want to thank you for your analysis. I intend to share these findings with my good friend the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, to urge him and the rest of the parliament to look into these results and continue with Australia's journey to 82 per cent renewables by 2030 and zero emissions by 2050. To the students: please continue to think deeply about problems of national importance and the state of Australia's democracy. As a former teacher over many years, I can assure you these are some of the most important lessons you will ever have.

I congratulate the teachers in the school for their leadership and just put on the record one paragraph from the students' teacher, who wrote to the Prime Minister: 'I reiterate my thanks to you for accommodating my request. It is such an incredible life lesson for students to see that in our democracy they must form opinions based on fact and that they have a right and the means to share that opinion with the highest office in the land.' These are two very different versions of contributions to democracy, but both are nonetheless signs that democracy is alive and well in this fine country of ours.

Senate adjourned at 20:14