Page 329 - Week 01 - Thursday, 17 February 2011
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tariffs. I would like to quote some comments that I think reinforce why the government believes that this feed-in tariff and the expansion of the feed-in tariff to larger scale generation are so important. The first quote I will read is this:
The feed-in tariff will be an important tool in addressing the issues in relation to turning the ACT economy into a greener economy.
I agree—absolutely. That is what one of these measures is all about—making the ACT economy a greener economy and creating jobs in the sustainable, renewable energy sector. It is, I think, delicious, Madam Assistant Speaker, that today I can agree with that quote—a quote that comes from the former shadow minister for the environment, Mrs Vicki Dunne. In 2008, that is what Mrs Dunne said:
The feed-in tariff will be an important tool in addressing the issues in relation to turning the ACT economy into a greener economy.
I agree with Mrs Dunne; this is an important reform. And indeed Mrs Dunne agrees with me that this is an important reform; in that same speech in 2008 she said:
… we have the feed-in tariff—and the importance of the feed-in tariff cannot be understated—we have the potential to really make a difference.
Again I agree with Mrs Dunne—absolutely. We have a real opportunity to make a difference, and that is what this bill is all about—moving the potential of the feed-in tariff beyond the microgeneration category and creating the opportunity for large-scale renewable energy generation. Indeed, it is larger scale renewable energy generation where the real potential of the feed-in tariff sits, because we know that larger scale renewable energy generation is more efficient, is more effective and gets us the gains we need when it comes to abatement that can come about from renewable energy generation.
I would like to read another quote:
“ … the big impact you’re going to get is if you have the capacity for large-scale generation.” The concern that I, as the shadow minister, had was that there were limitations that would prohibit or constrain large-scale generation in the feed-in tariff scheme.
Once again, I agree absolutely with the speaker on that issue. And, interestingly—Madam Assistant Speaker, I am sure you have worked it out by now—the speaker was of course Mrs Vicki Dunne, in a speech on 11 December 2008 when she criticised the government for not allowing larger scale renewable energy generation in the feed-in tariff scheme. She referred to:
… the Liberal opposition’s concern that even before this scheme sees the light of day the Stanhope government wants to wind it back.
Here was the Liberal Party in 2008 saying that the scheme should be open to larger scale generation and that the scheme is important in creating jobs in the ACT economy. What do they do today—two short but depressing years later for the Liberal
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