Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to do two things in the adjournment debate. Firstly, we all represent many people in this House, including those who can't vote yet: young people. I want to give a voice to one particular young person in my electorate, Jayden Unon, who has been participating in the raise our voices campaign. I've chosen his speech to read into the Hansard and I think you'll see why. 'My name is Jaden Unon. I'm a 16-year-old student who resides in south Western Sydney. Within the next 20 years my vision for Australia is to be a component global leader in renewable energy. I envisage a country leading the world's shift to renewable resources use through advancements in engineering, technology and science. Undoubtedly this paradigm shift for Australia is critical. Not only does Australia have the abundance of resources available for such change, but it has the world-class scientific facilities available to facilitate such advancements. However, for too long, political discourse regarding climate change has been undermined through dangerous misinformation. It was just this year that a report released by the United Nations revealed Australia was ranked last out of 170 countries analysed for action on climate change. Why should Australia forfeit to a delay to climate action in exchange for fewer jobs, a foggy future and dying industries that do not promise Australia's next generation of workers a secure future? Our government, now more than ever, must take action in addressing the biggest existential crisis. It is clear that Australia's economy and stance on the international stage cannot progress without action on climate change.'

Well, it would be nice if we heard more speeches like Jayden's from the government. That is an excellent speech, recognising that the world's climate emergency is Australia's jobs opportunity. I'm very proud to have him as a constituent and to read his words into the Hansard.

The second thing I want to do is celebrate, in the House, something I've spoken about many times in the past, that is the defeat of two outrageous proposals for incinerators in my electorate. Again, I have spoken about this to the House on many occasions. I'm very pleased give due credit to the New South Wales Liberal government which has moved legislation to ban incinerators in metropolitan Sydney. This is a good thing. My community has campaigned tirelessly for this result. We've had two proposals for incinerators in my electorate near Minchinbury and they would've affected St Clair and Erskine Park. That was never on. We have fought and fought and fought. There have been rallies, protests and petitions that I've organised and that community groups have organised.

I want to, in the House, pay tribute to the No Incinerator for Western Sydney group which has led the campaign. It has been a pleasure to work with them. It's been tough. We've had to make many appearances at different hearings opposing these incinerators. I want to give tribute to all of them. I will run the risk of mentioning two names—always dangerous, Mr Speaker—but Kim Vernon and Colin Bosworth have been champions. The community of Western Sydney owes them a lot.

The government did not make it easy to submit your objections. You had to sign up through an online portal that had 21 steps you needed to take—bureaucracy gone mad—to make a submission opposing the incinerator. There were no postal submissions. People persevered. It shows how passionate the views were, and are, against these incinerators. Despite the 21 steps that people had to undertake, there were more than 600 submissions from individuals into the department of planning in response the cleanaway project. I had to circulate a flyer in my electorate with a QR code to let people know how to put a submission in—and even then it was difficult.

We got 600 submissions. Four supported the incinerator and 596 were against. This is a very good step. I want to say, we are not completely out of woods. I have heard rumours that the two proponents are going to seek some sort exemption from the legislation which would be absolutely outrageous. I wouldn't put it past them, because they have shown very little respect for the Western Sydney community thus far so I doubt that they are going to grow a great deal of respect now. But be warned, we will keep fighting if necessary. We celebrate this win, the legislation, but we will keep fighting.

I don't think anybody should have to put up with an a waste to energy incinerator. I'm all for waste to energy proponents which are environmentally friendly. Incinerators are the worst of them. They're not really proper waste to energy. I've looked at this matter very closely. I do join with the people of Minchinbury, St Clair and Erskine Park at least in taking this win. It's been a long, hard fight. It's been my honour to stand with the community against this. Again, I pay tribute to Jayden, in my electorate, for the excellent speech he submitted and it was my honour to read it to the House tonight.