House debates

Thursday, 4 August 2022

Matters of Public Importance

Cost of Living

4:00 pm

Photo of Luke GoslingLuke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I've got limited time, so I'll just summarise. I know, Member for Dawson, you're new to the chamber, but you have joined the biggest bunch of incompetents that couldn't land an energy policy after 22 tries at it. You aren't responsible for the trillion dollars of debt or the failure to establish an energy plan in any shape or form, but you've joined the mob that were, so try and get them on board, because the future of the north that we're a part of is pretty vital. The renewable energy future is really important for the north. I wasn't going to mention this, because I've got limited time, but those opposite deceived the Australian people prior to the election, and that was absolutely unforgivable. But we're on this side, as the Australian government, because the Australian people knew that we were serious about action on climate change and about the position of renewables in our energy mix into the future, and they made us the government of Australia.

I want to do a little bit of what the previous speaker did and talk a little bit about northern Australia—a different slant on it, a more positive one. I want to reflect on how important the passing of our legislation today was for my constituents. The Northern Territory is one of the hottest parts of Australia. Darwin is certainly the hottest city. We know how brutal the build-up of heat and humidity can be, and we'll cop it. Climate change is critical everywhere, but an increase in temperature will be felt acutely by us and many that live across northern Australia. I'm committed to doing my part, as part of our great government, to make sure that we are able to adapt to climate change and to maximise renewables in our system. This government is going to get on with it. We've committed to a 43 per cent reduction by 2030 and we've committed to being carbon neutral by 2050. We can't have a continuation of the ideology we had from those opposite. It's just not going to get us anywhere, so get with the program. You are on the wrong side of history.

I just want to give those opposite a bit of an idea. I went to Queensland recently and visited Barcaldine. In Barcaldine, the home of the Labor Party, where it all started, there is the Barcaldine renewable energy zone, BREZ. I recommend you go and have a look at it. As the Prime Minister said this week, up in the Territory we've got Sun Cable, which is going to be the biggest solar farm in the world. That's an exciting future to get behind. Come up and have a look.

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