Richard Dowling (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Smith does raise concerns about affordability and transparency in the transition—and fair enough. We should be discussing these things. Let's begin with some honesty and some facts about the transition. Under those opposite, Australia was transitioning to energy poverty. As has been recorded lately and as stated by the Prime Minister, we saw 24 of Australia's 28 coal-fired power plants close while the coalition was in government. That's 24 of 28, not because of Labor and not because of renewables but because ageing plants failed and those opposite had no plan to replace them.

Let's turn to more facts and evidence. The International Energy Agency has reported that countries moving faster to net zero will see lower household bills over time. OECD comparisons show Australian electricity bills sit in the middle of the pack once you adjust for income. Last week we learned that the Climate Council of Australia stated that, without renewables, generation costs will be up to 50 per cent higher than they are today. Transparency, evidence, honesty and a discussion about affordability—that's what this debate is about, but they're inconvenient facts for some. The Climate Council's analysis showed that wholesale renewable power has averaged $72 a megawatt hour, compared to $129 a megawatt hour from coal and gas—almost twice the price. It doesn't matter who you speak to. Australia's top energy bodies—the AER, AEMO, AEMC and CSIRO—all agree that renewables backed by storage are the cheapest and most reliable form of new electricity. I'm talking about new electricity because we need to continue to build supply of generation as those ageing coal fleets retire as they did—24 of 28—under the coalition. That is the hard data. The AEMC warns that delaying renewable energy generation and transmission will put upward pressure on residential costs.

Wholesale prices are already falling. They're down by a third in the last quarter. We want those reductions flowing into retail bills as soon as possible. That is why the Albanese government is delivering a responsible energy plan that creates jobs, provides business certainty and lowers emissions. It's also why we've acted three times to deliver energy bill relief, cap gas prices and invest in cheaper renewables, with every step opposed by those opposite. Our plan is clear: renewables, backed by gas, batteries and hydro, with targets that lower emissions and create jobs.

The transition is accelerating. Renewables supplied half of the national electricity market just last month. Last year alone, five gigawatts of new solar, wind, battery and gas capacity entered the grid. That's the largest amount of new capacity in the grid since 1998. We've approved 111 renewable and related projects, which is enough to power 13 million homes. One in three households now have rooftop solar, with more than four million installations across the country. Since July, Australians have installed 120,000 household batteries, lifting national storage capacity by 50 per cent. EV sales have hit 13 per cent of all new sales this year. And we're making solar fairer with three hours of free daytime power for customers who can shift their energy use. Compare that to those opposite, with a decade in power, 24 coal stations closed and no replacement, no transition plan and no bill relief. While Labor has delivered support for households and small business, the coalition opposed every single one of them. Every bill spike, every breakdown and every moment of grid instability is part of their legacy. Doing nothing now—their current plan—has consequences.

The Clean Energy Council found households could pay $449 more by 2030 if the renewable build-out slows and over $600 more if a major coal generator fails unexpectedly. More than 90 per cent of coal plants will retire over the next decade. The only question left is whether Australia replaces them with the cheapest option or the most expensive option. Tasmania knows where the opportunity lies—with our hydro assets, storage and critical minerals, which means jobs, security and investment for Australia and for our regions.