Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] It sure is a nice change to see this government come to the table on renewable energy, but isn't the timing just perfect? It is just days out from Glasgow, and we are seeing this government do what it does best, turning up late to the party. And what a party it's turned out to be. We've got the mad bloke with the big hat, the bloke who's asleep most of the time, the woman who doesn't know how she ended up where she is and the grinning cat who disappears when it's convenient to him. What a party it is. We're seeing the member for Hinkler, the anti-renewables minister, back in cabinet in the same week the Prime Minister is flying to Glasgow to tell world leaders he's serious about net zero climate action—fantastic, great move, well done!

We've seen the member for Mallee boldly declare on the ABC that wind farms don't work at night. We shouldn't be surprised. The Prime Minister set the example when he said, three years ago, that promoting electric vehicle use across Australia would end the weekend, and now the same Prime Minister is spruiking net zero and spruiking electric vehicles. And now we have these bills before the House, bills that Labor has been calling on the government to bring forward for so long.

Labor will support the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill 2021 and the two related bills. Of course we will, because Labor has always recognised the immense potential of renewables. We hadn't had to be dragged to it. We know that renewables are better for the environment but that they also offer terrific opportunities for the economy, especially in our regions. That's particularly the case when it comes to offshore electricity. Around the world, more than 35 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity are now in operation. This global output is expected to reach 80 gigawatts by 2030 and 2,000 gigawatts by 2050. For perspective, Australia's entire national energy market is currently around 55 gigawatts. Tapping into this offshore wind farm resource is essential, and we have the capacity to do so. Right now, there are more than a dozen offshore wind proposals in Australia. This promises enormous generation capacity and tens of thousands of jobs in the construction phase. Further, harnessing these proposals would create thousands of ongoing jobs and garner billions of dollars in investments.

I've often spoken in this place of the need to reinvest in Australia's maritime industry. The near death of our maritime sector is a national disgrace. Well, we will need ships and we will need crews to run maintenance workers to and from the turbines, so an added benefit of these bills may well be a much-needed breath of life for our struggling maritime sector.

Most of these offshore wind proposals are alongside traditional energy regions due to their strong connections to the electricity grid and other advantages, so offshore wind would therefore benefit the workers and communities who are otherwise most impacted by the global energy transition. But, due to the absence of a regulatory framework, offshore wind and other offshore renewables are not currently permitted in Australia, so we have billions of dollars on our doorstep, but the government's inaction on renewable energy has been leaving Australians in the lurch. It is regrettable that the government has caused such delays. It had promised that 'the legislative settings and framework aim to be in place and operational by mid-2021.' Well, here we are at the end of 2021 and we're only now debating these bills. And, by the end of last week, one of the three bills necessary for these settings to take effect had not even been listed on the Notice Paper. That was rectified this week, but it's yet another last-minute fix. Half baked and late: pretty on brand for this government.

We will hear a lot of talk. After all, this government specialises in announcements, but once again the delivery just hasn't been there. The fact is this government is unable to grasp the full suite of opportunities offered by stronger climate action because at its heart, down there in its guts, it really doesn't believe it. Every step of progress has been tortured. You won't hear this government talking enthusiastically about batteries, electric vehicles, pumped hydro, offshore wind—all the technologies available for massive deployment right now.

Industry and unions get it. The National Farmers Federation, the Red Meat Advisory Council, the Farmers for Climate Action, the Business Council and the trade unions are all on board. All of these groups know that the economy, industry and jobs are better off with strong and clear climate action policies and not the Mad Hatter's food fight that passes for coalition climate policy. It is only Labor that offers that clarity for investment and for the nation. This government spent eight long years spruiking dishonest scare campaigns that have sought to divide Australians and weaponise climate change. This government spent eight long years spruiking dishonest scare campaigns that have sought to divide Australians and weaponised climate change. It's cost Australia time that can never be recovered, and it's lost the trust of millions of Australians out there in regional Australia who are scared of the change that is coming.

We need to catch up quickly, and investing in offshore renewables puts us in the fast lane. All Australians, Tasmanians in particular, will benefit from long-term investment in offshore renewables, and Tasmania has been leading the way for nearly a century. Around 90 per cent of my state's electricity generation is from renewable resources—about 10 per cent of it is from wind and most of it is from hydroelectric. That delivers baseload and peaking electricity for Tasmania's major industrials, small businesses and households, and, because of a link to the mainland, we're also providing power to mainland customers. So Tasmania should very much be at the forefront of this renewable push.

Modelling from the Business Council of Australia shows we could create $89 billion in new trade by 2040 and create 395,000 jobs through investment in clean energy exports. It's yet another important contribution highlighting the opportunities available to Australia in a decarbonising economy, but only if we seize them. That means broader action now and not squabbling over whether climate change is real, as we continue to see from those opposite.

Every month, let alone year, counts in this next decade. We don't need a pamphlet from the Prime Minister; we need a policy. We don't need slogans; we need actions and outcomes. But we can hardly trust the government with this race. Look how they handled the race to secure enough vaccines. 'It's not a race', 'It's not a competition.'—infamous words from the Prime Minister. Labor, however, understands that, like securing enough vaccines and tackling COVID-19 early, it's important to secure our renewables future and get on the front foot.

There is an inevitability about the world's move to net zero emissions. Australia has the capacity to be at the forefront of this shift. But, despite having an enviable capacity for both fossil fuels and renewables, which positions us as pioneers for this transition, we are hindered by an ineffective and obstinate and, frankly, incompetent government. My colleague, the member for McMahon, the shadow minister, put it bluntly last week. He said:

To neglect the opportunity to become a clean energy export powerhouse would be an unparalleled public policy failure, consigning current and future generations to economic destitution. It would leave Australians picking up the scraps of the greatest economic change since the industrial revolution, at a premium.

Just imagine if we'd missed the industrial revolution and all the benefits that it brought Australia! Well, under this government, that's the risk we face with this next phase. I couldn't agree more with the member for McMahon.

Australia and my electorate of Lyons in particular are full of smart and hardworking people who are capable of leading this transition into an exciting economic future led by renewables. The only thing holding them back is those opposite, who seek to continually undermine public faith in renewable energy simply to score political points and to suit their own personal and political gain.

In summary, Labor welcomes these bills because we called for them. The government promised and then delayed them. And, while we don't seek to hold up the passing of these bills, they would benefit from further amendments. Business needs certainty and swiftness, workers need proper workplace safety frameworks and opportunities for local communities, and workers need to be considered and included. The future is here; we just need to grasp it.

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