Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move the amendment circulated in my name:

(1) Page 3 (after line 24), at the end of the Bill, add:

Schedule 2 — Capacity Investment Scheme Program

Climate Change Act 2022

1 After Part 4

Add:

Part 4A — Capacity Investment Scheme

15B Simplified outline of this Part

The Capacity Investment Scheme Program must be implemented to achieve at least 23 gigawatts of renewable generation capacity and at least 9 gigawatts of clean dispatchable capacity.

15C Administration of the Capacity Investment Scheme Program

(1) If, at the commencement of this subsection, the Capacity Investment Scheme Program is prescribed by legislative instrument under subsection 33(1) of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986, then:

(a) the Commonwealth must make, vary or administer arrangements in relation to the carrying out of activities by one or more persons under the Capacity Investment Scheme Program; and

(b) those arrangements must result in, by the end of 2030:

(i) at least 23 gigawatts of renewable generation capacity; and

(ii) at least 9 gigawatts of clean dispatchable capacity.

Note: The arrangements referred to in this subsection may include arrangements made, varied or administered before the commencement of this subsection.

(2) If advice of the Climate Change Authority under subsection 14(1) indicates a material risk to the achievement of subsection (1), the Minister's Annual Climate Change Statement under section 12 must provide a response to that advice.

15D Amendment of the Capacity Investment Scheme Program

(1) An instrument made under subsection 33(1) of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 (the amending instrument), that varies or revokes another instrument made under that subsection that prescribes the Capacity Investment Scheme Program, does not come into effect until the amending instrument has been approved by a resolution of each House of the Parliament.

(2) To avoid doubt, subsection (1) does not apply to an instrument made under subsection 33(1) of the Industry Research and Development Act 1986 that varies or revokes another instrument made under that subsection if that other instrument does not prescribe the Capacity Investment Scheme Program.

One thing we know for sure is that the Liberals will stop at nothing to attack renewables. We have seen this in the past, where they used every opportunity to try and get rid of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency as well as the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Those two agencies have driven huge investment in renewables in this country and given great confidence to the renewables industry, which we know we need to grow if we're to get out of coal and gas—which the scientists are telling us we must do if we are to have any chance of tackling the climate crisis.

We also know that the Leader of the Opposition's dangerous nuclear fantasy is a ploy to extend the life of coal and gas in the system and threaten investment in renewables. We've even heard the Leader of the Opposition say so himself—that, under his dangerous fantasy of a plan, coal and gas will have to stay in the system for longer. In many respects, that is what his agenda is all about. We know that the opposition's energy policies have been written by the coal and gas industries because they know now that renewables are not only the best way of cutting emissions but the cheapest form of electricity.

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