Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I'm not sure why the deputy leader thinks that our responsibilities only relate to dealing with state Labor governments! Of course, the Commonwealth government would always deal with governments, whether they are state Labor governments or state coalition governments, in the same manner.

On the question of delays keeping coal and gas power generation going longer: the biggest reason to keep coal and gas power generation going longer is the expensive 20-year delay proposed by those opposite, which is the fantasy nuclear energy policy they have. The biggest risk is a nuclear energy policy that, by their own admission, won't be operational for 20 years and then will only provide four per cent of power—and it will cost $600 billion and it will add $1,200 to the average person's household bills.

The other thing that I think is worth saying about the delay those opposite would cause to the energy transition is 1.7 billion extra tonnes of carbon dioxide would be released into our atmosphere if those opposite get their way and delay the transition by 20 years.

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