Federation Chamber
PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS - Energy
Ms SWANSON (Paterson) (18:56): I rise to speak in response to the motion moved by the member for Gippsland. Firstly, I note that this motion calls for something our government has already delivered. That is strong, clear policy and certainty regarding natural gas. From the get-go, I congratulate the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, on the gas strategy that she has put forward. It is sensible, and everyone that I speak to from industry says what a good job this government is doing.
It is truly incredible that the opposition believe they can pretend to be experts on the subject of energy policy, like some kind of charade. The facts don't lie. They presided over 22 or 23 failed energy policies, if you count the latest nuclear fantasy. They wasted millions of taxpayer dollars over a decade full of delays. And let us not forget their former leader who secretly appointed himself to the energy portfolio. That was certainly a surprise for the minister that was already in that portfolio. They couldn't even decide amongst themselves if the science of climate change is real. As the government, we know that it is real. We aren't going to engage in a pointless culture war about it.
The opposition has a plan to change the nation based on three paragraphs in a speech, with absolutely no detail and full of untested declarations. Now they propose this cash splash giveaway to gas companies and pushing down on the nuclear button without even engaging the communities it would impact. Really? Are we going to accept this? We just can't. Should we really be taking notes from these people on energy when, again, they had 10 years to get this right, and they squandered our opportunities?
Natural gas is the foundation of our transition to a cleaner, more affordable energy system in Australia and our road map towards a future powered by renewables. But these things don't happen overnight, and we're seeing that more and more. As we move in a progressive direction into a greener future, towards net zero by 2050, we do need gas. That is the bottom line to this.
Interestingly, gas usage is increasing the world over. It is a key ingredient in our recipe for reducing emissions and fighting climate change. Natural gas is stable, it's secure and, quite frankly, it keeps the lights on. Since the Albanese Labor government came to office, there's been a 25 per cent increase in renewables in the national energy market, and that's a terrific thing. Not dissimilar to those opposite, yes, I have the AEMO app on my phone. I watch energy prices pretty much every week to see where things are going. At the moment things are heading in the right direction. But we are reliant on a lot of change and a lot of innovation. This has driven our total emissions and emissions intensities to all-time lows, which is very important. Because we've done those things, we need to carefully consider how gas fits into our net zero commitments. Our future gas strategy also seeks to do this through a base of solid evidence that comes after a year of work and extensive public consultation.
It is time for a policy that makes sense. It is time for a policy that is cohesive over multiple portfolios, and that is what we are delivering. Let me paint the opposition a picture. Our Future Gas Strategy allows us to harness the power of gas as a transition fuel. Our Future Made in Australia plan enables us to invest in key green industries like renewables, harnessing our economic competitiveness on a global scale and rebuilding our manufacturing industry, which is so vital. Our fee-free TAFE program will train up our next generation of skilled workers, who can make this plan a reality. This is a nation-building plan, and this is what nation-building looks like. This is not about ideology, politics and game-playing; it's about data, facts and, most importantly, results, not only for now but for future generations. Our strategy is one that looks to the future, not just to the next election. Since coming to government, the Albanese government has taken immediate and strong action to shore up gas supply and manage price impacts. But, most importantly, we're keeping the lights on in the eastern seaboard, and that's what matters. (Time expired—)
