Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the chamber for its indulgence; I believe now is the correct time to move under standing order 115(2) for a brief but necessary inquiry into this bill, the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2015.

It is highly unusual for us to not have inquiries into bills, particularly controversial bills like this one, which changes the face of our clean energy future. I am urging the chamber: whatever your position is on this bill—and we know that—unfortunately—both of the big parties are agreeing to cut the clean energy target—it is just abominable that you would do so without actually sending this bill to an inquiry. There is a litany of unanswered questions about the implications of this bill, not least about the native forest burning that has been included in the face of all evidence. The community deserves the right to have a say. That is the normal process. I am incredulous that we have already moved twice for an inquiry and have received no support. We are giving folk one last chance tonight. We are not trying to delay the passage of this bill. We understand that you guys want to slash the renewable energy target and we do not; we know we have lost that fight. But we do want to make sure that we actually scrutinise this bill, and so I move:

That the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill 2015, together with the circulated amendments to the bill, be referred to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee for inquiry and report by 22 June 2015.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the bill be referred to a committee on the motion moved by Senator Waters.