Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

It is base-load power that anchors our energy system, that ensures that the energy needed by households and businesses gets there in a manner that is required, when it is required, at an affordable rate. AEMO's dispatchability report last week demonstrated that there are clear risks of shortages, and yet the Leader of the Opposition said that that was a matter for down the track. Well, it's not a matter for down the track. AEMO makes clear there are risks of shortages for this summer. They are seeking to contract 1,000 megawatts of additional generation for the coming summer. Indeed, there may be further risks down the track for which we must take action on now. For example, the scheduled closure of Liddell, which the AEMO report identified as a further potential shortfall of 1,000 megawatts in 2022. Again, this is why we are taking action now. The Prime Minister is taking action now, and we won't take the advice of those opposite who say it's just a bit of a distraction. We know that it is important and we will deliver the— (Time expired)