Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources) Share this | Hansard source

The short answer is that the report will be responded to on a whole-of-government basis. It is a groundbreaking report, and I was delighted to work so constructively and cordially with the honourable member for Throsby in its preparation. Without giving a piecemeal response, there are a number of recommendations that, in effect, have already been acted on—or at least the government have introduced measures which match the recommendations in the report. Doubling the photovoltaic rebate is an obvious example. The honourable member for Kingsford Smith will recall he announced he was proposing to double the photovoltaic rebate when he was not, but we actually have. It has gone up from $4 a watt, with a maximum of $4,000, to $8 a watt, with a maximum of $8,000, and as I recall—the member for Throsby can correct me if my memory fails me—that was one of the report’s key recommendations.

The key recommendation of the report which is subject to the greatest level of debate around the country—and, obviously, of consideration by the government—is the recommendation for a sustainability charter and, in effect, a reintroduction of payments analogous to competition payments which are for meeting particular sustainability benchmarks. All of the rest of the measures that are in the report are ones that, in many respects, are now broadly in line with government policy. For example, if you think about the—

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