Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a senator for the greatest state in Australia, I'm always happy to talk about how Queensland is leading the way. At the weekend, Australia proudly hit a major milestone: a quarter of a million homes and businesses are now fitted with solar batteries thanks to Labor's 30 per cent battery discount, saving them energy and money.

But what's really interesting is where in Queensland the battery uptake has been the highest, because, while this has been dubbed a 'green energy policy', it has been the most popular in Liberal held electorates of Queensland. In pole position is Wright, where an incredible 3,715 households and businesses around the Lockyer Valley and Beaudesert area have embraced Labor's solar batteries. Coming in at No. 2 is Fadden, around the northern Gold Coast area, where 2,186 homes and businesses now boast battery technology, closely followed by Bowman, where 2,176 homes and businesses in Redlands are now saving money and energy using battery technology. At No. 4 is Longman, a seat held by the Liberals by just 300 votes at the last election, and yet 2,091 people in Longman now have solar batteries because of Labor.

This should be an existential crisis for the Liberals and the Nationals here in Canberra, because, even if you don't believe the science, you'd better believe the votes. Your climate denial has already cost you the seats of Wentworth, Warringah and Kooyong, and now regional Queensland and Liberal held seats are waking up to your chaos. Is it any wonder that Labor now holds more seats in the regional areas of this country than the National Party? It's because Labor gets it. I want to acknowledge the work of Minister Chris Bowen, who has put real and practical initiatives at the centre of Labor's net zero—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Corinne Mulholland (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They don't like to hear it, Acting Deputy President.