David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How many hectares of prime agricultural land and national parks will be impacted from the construction of 28,000 kilometres of poles and wires in communities as a result of the government's energy policies?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The House will come to order. The minister will be heard in silence, just like the leader was heard in silence.

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. In relation to the announcement made by the Prime Minister and me last week, Marinus Link goes under the Bass Strait. That's the biggest investment we've made in transmission, and we will be working with—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right! Order!

The member for Kingsford Smith is not helping. I give the call to the Leader of the Nationals, who is rising on a point of order.

David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Relevance, Mr Speaker. The question was very tight. It was around poles and wires and the 28,000 kilometres of them. That is above ground, not below it, just to help him out.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is 20 seconds into his answer. He is entitled—

Opposition members interjecting—

Order, on my left!

The Manager of Opposition Business will cease interjecting. So will the Leader of the Nationals. The minister is entitled to a preamble. I ask him to return to the question.

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. I understand his sensitivity, because they talked about the Marinus Link for six years; we're delivering it in six months. That's the difference. The Marinus Link is an important link between Tasmania and the mainland—the second and third links—because we believe that Tasmania can become a 200 per cent renewable economy.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business. It will not be a point on relevance because that has already been taken. I will hear from him.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, you made a very clear ruling that the minister needed to return to the question. He is ignoring your ruling. He's talking about something quite different.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat, Manager of Opposition Business.

Opposition members interjecting—

The minister is being relevant, and I would like to hear what the minister is saying if members on my left will cease interjecting.

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

I'm more than happy to deal with the issues raised by the opposition, because they're important ones. They're important ones because Marinus and other transmission projects which it's connected to—like the North West Transmission link, which the Prime Minister and I announced with the Premier of Tasmania and the energy minister last week; the KerangLink in Victoria, which was also announced, as we are working on with other states. I presume, given the tone of questions from those opposite, that those opposite are very annoyed with the announcements from New South Wales in recent days, very annoyed by the announcement of the Treasurer and energy minister and the Deputy Premier in New South Wales about compensation for above-ground wires that have to be built in New South Wales—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals will cease interjecting.

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

by the New South Wales government, as part of the Rewiring the Nation plans. We know that transmission is necessary for transition. That is what's necessary. We've made it very clear, as part of our election commitment, that we will roll out this transmission—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Nationals is warned!

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

We've also made this clear: we will reform what is known as the RIT-T process—the regulatory process for above-ground wires—which they left in place for nine years. We'll reform it because it is not fit for purpose, because it does not provide adequate compensation for people who are impacted, as the member for Ballarat and the member for Hawke well know and well understand because they've actually taken the time to engage in these issues. They actually understand these issues—unlike, it appears, the Leader of the National Party.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Page will cease interjecting.