House debates

Thursday, 15 June 2017

Questions without Notice

Energy

3:06 pm

Photo of Josh FrydenbergJosh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

We know that the member for Lilley supports coal, because he commissioned a report into a new coal-fired power station in Northern Queensland. The member for Lilley—the second most famous boy to come out of Nambour High, the second most famous graduate out of Nambour High—

A government member: The Treasurer of the millennia.

the Treasurer of the millennia, and Euromoney's Treasurer of the Year. The reality when it comes to coal is that it is a critical part of our energy mix. The Leader of the Opposition said this in 2007:

We believe completely that coal is part of Australia's energy future … We also need to be at the forefront of ensuring that the processes, which we adopt to use coal, are as clean and as efficient as can possibly be made.

So the reality is that, under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, we want an energy mix which is technology neutral, which is focused on the trifecta of affordability, stability and meeting our international commitments. Only we on this side of the House can do that and only Labor will drive up electricity prices and lead to a more unstable electricity system.

Comments

Tibor Majlath
Posted on 17 Jun 2017 5:05 pm

So now the Coalition wants an energy mix "which is technology neutral".

The idea requires "rules and regulations to prevent service providers from preferring one type of technology over another in provisioning of their services".

This from a coalition of four minor parties whose members' ideological preference is for one technology, namely one based solely on coal? Makes sense.

Business and households need certainty. Electricity and gas prices under the Coalition are set to soar judging by the recent price increases announced by AGL etc.

It is easier to play the blame game and let the situation get out hand. Nothing changes.