Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) | Hansard source

Thank you very much for the question. I don't have the terms of reference with me, so I'm not able to share that with you. But I can make a broad observation, which is that the energy system, as you entirely understand, is undergoing a very significant transition. That transition is underway. Increasingly, a very significant amount of the capacity in the grid is renewable, and we are seeing greater and greater strain placed on the coal-fired power stations, which once formed the core of the electricity system but are increasingly coming to the end of their life. The way that the rules of the national electricity market and all of the infrastructure around that market are organised needs to be tailored to make sure that the investment conditions are suitable. We'll continue to encourage investment in the technologies that we know are the most affordable technologies for new generation, and, of course, that is firmed renewables.

We've had this conversation many times in this chamber. It remains the case, despite the assertions of those opposite, that the cheapest form of new generation is firmed renewables. It is considerably cheaper, by the widest margin, than nuclear energy. I note that the coalition have repeatedly made promises to reveal their costings. I think it was in September that Mr Littleproud told us that all the costings were, in fact, practically done for all purposes and that this would all be out in the public domain by November. The clock is ticking! We have a handful of days left in November. Where are these costings that Mr Littleproud said were ready back in September? It might even have been August. This morning Mr Taylor was asked about this, and Mr Taylor said, 'I never said you'd have them by Christmas; you might get them before the election.' Honestly! (Time expired)