Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. At a time when global energy markets are under pressure, Australian wind, solar and batteries, backed by gas, make Australia stronger and more secure. That's why the Albanese Labor government is helping more Australian households purchase a home battery. How has this policy helped Australian households to weather these global energy shocks?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, you're right; with the war in the Middle East, global energy markets are indeed once again under some pressure. That underscores the importance of the work that this government, and in particular Minister Bowen, has been leading over the course of this year in all aspects of our energy system—none more important than building a new modern, Australian, reliable electricity grid, with Australian wind, solar batteries and gas. Vladimir Putin in Ukraine can't stop the wind blowing in Australia. The Iranians may be able to block the Strait of Hormuz but they cannot stop the Australian sun shining on the roofs of Australian households, securing Australian energy to drive down prices for Australians. Just one of these programs, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, has made an outsized impact for businesses and for households.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

It's the old outrage metre over here. It's a complete mystery. I don't want to divert myself off my own topic, but when everything comes along and you get so angry but you get smaller, they get so angry and they get bigger. What's going on? It's this mystery of political thermodynamics that just keeps happening to you. Is it physics? Is it chemistry or biology? You don't know, but you keep doing it. You get angrier and angrier, and you get smaller and smaller. What is going on over there with the once great Liberal and National parties?

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, first supplementary?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that very interesting answer; I'm sure everyone here in the chamber found it extremely informative! Today, the government's Capacity Investment Scheme has announced 15 new successful energy storage projects, with big batteries to be built in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. How will these new projects— (Time expired)

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

I am anticipating that I know how that question would have concluded! This is a very important program, and, of course, I'm, as you all know, very easily distracted. It's important to point out that this program, alongside the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which has provided for 450,000 cheaper home batteries, provides 12 gigawatts of capacity. In terms of the number of batteries installed in the world, we are behind only the United States and China here in Australia, making household bills go down for the houses that install them and putting downward pressure on prices across the grid. Of course, 15 more large-scale successful energy storage projects were announced today through the Capacity Investment Scheme, $6 billion in private investment. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, second supplementary?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Great anticipation, Minister! The Albanese Labor government is securing Australia's future by building a modern Australian energy system. What are the risks to Australia's future energy security by turning back the policy clock on renewables?

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): There are so many risks over there as the right-wing parties merge. They are not dual ticket holders. They are triple ticket holders now. As they merge, they can agree about very little of real substance for Australians. They can agree they want to make workers poorer, they can agree they want to cut back social services and they can agree that they want to wreck electricity investment in Australia. The current Leader of the Opposition, Mr Taylor, told Sky News this morning that he stemmed the decline apparently. He stemmed the decline in the Liberal primary vote. Put a pencil next to that one, and we'll see how we're looking in six weeks' time. Put a pencil next to that and see how it's going. No person has done more to wreck electricity investment in Australia than Mr Taylor. No person has done more— (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on notice