❓ Dr. Nahan questions the Minister for Energy about the potential negative economic impacts of Federal Labor's renewable energy policies on WA. The Minister deflects by highlighting Dr. Nahan's past contradictory stances on energy sources.
AnsweredQoN 212Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS —
FEDERAL LABOR POLICY
212. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the report by the
well-respected former head of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and
Resource Economics, Dr Brian Fisher, which warns that Bill Shorten's 50
per cent renewable policy —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : His 50 per cent
renewable policy plus his 45 per cent emissions reduction target will push up
electricity prices by 50 per cent, cost workers up to $9 000 a year in lower
wages, and wipe $472 billion from the economy over the next decade.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Will the
minister rule out supporting Bill Shorten's plan to hurt the Western Australian
economy and cost jobs?
FEDERAL LABOR POLICY
212. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the report by the
well-respected former head of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and
Resource Economics, Dr Brian Fisher, which warns that Bill Shorten's 50
per cent renewable policy —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Treasurer!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : His 50 per cent
renewable policy plus his 45 per cent emissions reduction target will push up
electricity prices by 50 per cent, cost workers up to $9 000 a year in lower
wages, and wipe $472 billion from the economy over the next decade.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Will the
minister rule out supporting Bill Shorten's plan to hurt the Western Australian
economy and cost jobs?
AnswerView source ↗
This is a really interesting
question from the member for Riverton. Before the member for Riverton was the
Minister for Energy—when he was first in Parliament—he called
for the construction of a nuclear power station in the Pilbara. He said that it
was time that we talked about locations and we should move beyond just a discussion
and get to where we are going to be for those power stations.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : When he
became the minister, he talked about how renewable energy was the key to Western
Australia's future.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : He said at
the time that 500 megawatts of rooftop power had been delivered into the south
west interconnected system and that would grow by 20 per cent to 30 per cent a year,
and as a consequence the government would need to shut power stations. He said
that there would be 380 megawatts worth of closures of coal-fired power
stations in the south west interconnected system. Now that he is in opposition,
he opposes the renewable energy that he supported when he was in government!
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That is the
sort of person that we have as the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Leader
of the Opposition's views on energy policy change depending on where he
sits. It is not about the idea of what is in the interest of Western Australia.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I have warned you three times. I call you to order for the first
time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The only
thing he is interested in is where he is sitting. When he was on the back bench
he was in favour of nuclear energy. When he sat in this chair, he was in favour
of renewable energy. Now he sits in that chair and he is in favour of coal. On
behalf of the government of Western Australia and its people, I am going to put
the interests of consumers first.
question from the member for Riverton. Before the member for Riverton was the
Minister for Energy—when he was first in Parliament—he called
for the construction of a nuclear power station in the Pilbara. He said that it
was time that we talked about locations and we should move beyond just a discussion
and get to where we are going to be for those power stations.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : When he
became the minister, he talked about how renewable energy was the key to Western
Australia's future.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : He said at
the time that 500 megawatts of rooftop power had been delivered into the south
west interconnected system and that would grow by 20 per cent to 30 per cent a year,
and as a consequence the government would need to shut power stations. He said
that there would be 380 megawatts worth of closures of coal-fired power
stations in the south west interconnected system. Now that he is in opposition,
he opposes the renewable energy that he supported when he was in government!
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That is the
sort of person that we have as the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Leader
of the Opposition's views on energy policy change depending on where he
sits. It is not about the idea of what is in the interest of Western Australia.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I have warned you three times. I call you to order for the first
time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The only
thing he is interested in is where he is sitting. When he was on the back bench
he was in favour of nuclear energy. When he sat in this chair, he was in favour
of renewable energy. Now he sits in that chair and he is in favour of coal. On
behalf of the government of Western Australia and its people, I am going to put
the interests of consumers first.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.