Dio Wang (WA, Palmer United Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for the Environment, Senator Birmingham. The Renewable Energy Act currently exempts 'self-generators' of electricity from liability under the RET Scheme, but the circumstances under which the exemption can be granted are very confined. In many remote communities, large-scale industry is the only source of power generation and provides 'incidental power' to important community services, such as local community radio stations, police and ambulance services and telecommunications. As a result of supplying incidental power, the generator may lose the exemption, significant liability can be triggered and the cost may be passed on to local community services. Does the minister agree that this is an unintended consequence of the act?