❓ Question regarding the WA government's renewable energy transition plans and awareness of alternative approaches. The Minister's answer defends the government's plan and criticises the opposition's stance on net zero.
AnsweredQoN 643Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Renewable energy transition
643. Ms Colleen Egan to
the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to transforming Western Australia into a
renewable energy powerhouse.
(1) Can the minister advise the house on the
government's plans to deliver a sensible and managed energy transition for Western
Australia?
(2) Is the minister aware of any alternative
approaches being proposed?
643. Ms Colleen Egan to
the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to transforming Western Australia into a
renewable energy powerhouse.
(1) Can the minister advise the house on the
government's plans to deliver a sensible and managed energy transition for Western
Australia?
(2) Is the minister aware of any alternative
approaches being proposed?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Thornlie
for her question. This house and the community know that the Cook Labor
government remains committed to transitioning out of state-owned coal assets by
2030. That is an economic and environmental decision. There is an important
imperative to transition out of coal by 2030. We are also setting a credible
trajectory to reach net zero by 2050, which is all part of our sensible and
managed plan to harness some of the best solar and wind in the world, which I
hear members opposite spruiking from time to time, and develop a clean energy
economy that will deliver some of the best outcomes for our state and
sustainable jobs. It will be a renewable system backed by storage and gas, and
that is the lowest cost pathway for residential users as well as industry—that
is, renewable energy backed by long-duration storage and gas as a firming fuel.
That is exactly what the Cook Labor government is delivering.
Let us unpack what has happened
in the last few weeks with the federal Liberal and National Parties. What we
saw a number of weeks ago was Barnaby Joyce hold the National Party to ransom.
He held the National Party to ransom by saying, "I'm going to join One
Nation unless you dump net zero", and so it scrambled and dumped net zero.
Then the National Party, which received less than 4% of the national vote, held
the Liberal Party to ransom, which then also scrambled to dump net zero to keep
its junior coalition partner in the tent. I have to say that Barnaby Joyce and
Pauline Hanson will be delighted with the outcome because the policy that the national
Liberals have taken is a Barnaby Joyce–Pauline Hanson policy. What a
victory. Industry is confused and dumbfounded because it has been setting a
trajectory to 2050 for some years now, supported by stable policy settings. The
questions are: What will the WA Liberals do? What will the Leader of the WA
Liberal Party do? Will he be dictated to by Pauline and Barnaby? Is that what
he will do? Abandoning net zero, abandoning common sense, walking away from
common sense, turning their backs on renewable energy, abandoning hundreds of
millions of dollars of investment in Western Australia and prolonging expensive
coal-fired power solutions: that is Barnaby's and Pauline's policy. Will the WA
Liberal Party entertain that policy? It will mean higher energy prices and
emissions. It is clear. All of the independent experts agree that renewable
energy is the cheapest form of generation. Nuclear power could send bills
rising by eight times. It is eight times more expensive than renewable energy.
Coal is more expensive than renewable energy.
Now the Nationals WA party room
has voted to scrap net zero. They are following Barnaby and Pauline. Only a few
weeks ago, the Leader of the Liberal Party said that only mugs would dump net
zero.
Mr Basil Zempilas: Is that what I said?
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson: Yes, that is what you said: "Only
mugs would dump net zero." This is extraordinary when this is the
opposition that asked itself the question: "How do we become more relevant
to Western Australians?"
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Carry on, minister.
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson: In the shadow of a terrible
election defeat, it asked itself: "What do we need to do to become more
relevant to the majority of Western Australians?" The answer was to become
more extreme—to back in Pauline Hanson and to adopt Barnaby Joyce's
policies.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt.
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson: Having said that, the Leader of
the Liberal Party said that only mugs would trash net zero, so let us see what
he does in the next few weeks.
for her question. This house and the community know that the Cook Labor
government remains committed to transitioning out of state-owned coal assets by
2030. That is an economic and environmental decision. There is an important
imperative to transition out of coal by 2030. We are also setting a credible
trajectory to reach net zero by 2050, which is all part of our sensible and
managed plan to harness some of the best solar and wind in the world, which I
hear members opposite spruiking from time to time, and develop a clean energy
economy that will deliver some of the best outcomes for our state and
sustainable jobs. It will be a renewable system backed by storage and gas, and
that is the lowest cost pathway for residential users as well as industry—that
is, renewable energy backed by long-duration storage and gas as a firming fuel.
That is exactly what the Cook Labor government is delivering.
Let us unpack what has happened
in the last few weeks with the federal Liberal and National Parties. What we
saw a number of weeks ago was Barnaby Joyce hold the National Party to ransom.
He held the National Party to ransom by saying, "I'm going to join One
Nation unless you dump net zero", and so it scrambled and dumped net zero.
Then the National Party, which received less than 4% of the national vote, held
the Liberal Party to ransom, which then also scrambled to dump net zero to keep
its junior coalition partner in the tent. I have to say that Barnaby Joyce and
Pauline Hanson will be delighted with the outcome because the policy that the national
Liberals have taken is a Barnaby Joyce–Pauline Hanson policy. What a
victory. Industry is confused and dumbfounded because it has been setting a
trajectory to 2050 for some years now, supported by stable policy settings. The
questions are: What will the WA Liberals do? What will the Leader of the WA
Liberal Party do? Will he be dictated to by Pauline and Barnaby? Is that what
he will do? Abandoning net zero, abandoning common sense, walking away from
common sense, turning their backs on renewable energy, abandoning hundreds of
millions of dollars of investment in Western Australia and prolonging expensive
coal-fired power solutions: that is Barnaby's and Pauline's policy. Will the WA
Liberal Party entertain that policy? It will mean higher energy prices and
emissions. It is clear. All of the independent experts agree that renewable
energy is the cheapest form of generation. Nuclear power could send bills
rising by eight times. It is eight times more expensive than renewable energy.
Coal is more expensive than renewable energy.
Now the Nationals WA party room
has voted to scrap net zero. They are following Barnaby and Pauline. Only a few
weeks ago, the Leader of the Liberal Party said that only mugs would dump net
zero.
Mr Basil Zempilas: Is that what I said?
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson: Yes, that is what you said: "Only
mugs would dump net zero." This is extraordinary when this is the
opposition that asked itself the question: "How do we become more relevant
to Western Australians?"
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Carry on, minister.
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson: In the shadow of a terrible
election defeat, it asked itself: "What do we need to do to become more
relevant to the majority of Western Australians?" The answer was to become
more extreme—to back in Pauline Hanson and to adopt Barnaby Joyce's
policies.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt.
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson: Having said that, the Leader of
the Liberal Party said that only mugs would trash net zero, so let us see what
he does in the next few weeks.
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