Page 1905 - Week 05 - Thursday, 5 May 2011

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policy that drives the uptake of renewable energy generation, bagging a policy that creates jobs in a low carbon future for our city.

This government will stand up for solar. It will stand up for renewable energy generation. It will stand up for policies that show the way towards a low carbon future and it will refute the scaremongering of those opposite who seek to use feed-in tariffs as a scapegoat for rising electricity prices when such a suggestion does not accord with the facts and is not consistent with any credible analysis which shows that the key drivers of increases in electricity costs are network augmentation and generational augmentation, not feed-in tariff policies.

MR SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Smyth?

MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given your federal colleague’s comments that subsidies disadvantage low income earners, how do you see this applying to the ACT?

MR CORBELL: In relation to what?

Mr Smyth: The cost—the cost of electricity?

MR CORBELL: In relation to what? What, in relation to federal government policy? It is not a matter for me to comment on federal government policies.

Budget—clean economy strategy

MS HUNTER: My question is to the Chief Minister and concerns the government’s clean economy strategy and its application to this year’s budget. Chief Minister, the government commissioned Canberra university to scope out issues relating to a clean economy and also invited submissions on its issues paper last year. We have not heard anything about it since then. What impact has the paper had on any of the government’s budget decisions this year.

MR STANHOPE: I thank Ms Hunter for the question. I believe it is a question that Ms Hunter asked not all that too long ago. On that occasion I was able to advise Ms Hunter of the work that had been done, most particularly by the University of Canberra, whom we had engaged to work with us in the development of a strategy. I think Ms Hunter has been briefed on the matter or is certainly aware of the work that we have done.

We commissioned the University of Canberra to undertake initial scoping as consultants to capture the current state of thinking and program approaches around the development of the clean economy. A product of that study was a framework for the Australian Capital Territory clean economy strategy, which has been completed and was presented to government.

The framework report concludes in broad terms that the clean economy strategy should encompass initiatives that support industry to implement green development programs, including initiatives for the built environment, support for the clean sector, business program support and support for renewable energy. The government released


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