Page 3310 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 18 September 2013

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I now ask that members of the Labor Party and our Green colleague think very carefully about the impact that this motion will have and give it the support that it deserves, not just here in the Assembly but also to send the message to the wider community that we do care. It is an opportunity to think about the impact that disregarding the very real concerns about the location of this project will have on the lives of the Uriarra Village residents and the wider community. It is an opportunity to allow due process to occur and to ensure that the residents of Uriarra can put their case forward in a proper way through the proper channels.

Please, minister, do not cut them off at the knees in this instance. I call on members, particularly Mr Rattenbury, to put aside party politics and to do the right thing by the community here today.

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney—General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (10.14): I move the amendment circulated in my name:

Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute”

“notes”:

(1) the Government’s commitment to securing a sustainable future for our City by reducing its carbon emissions by 40% by 2020 and implementing a 90% renewable energy target;

(2) that the Solar Auction process is delivering large scale renewable energy generation at an affordable price for consumers, with the three proposed projects capable of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million tonnes at a peak cost to households of around 45 cents per week in 2016, dropping down to around 27 cents per week in 2021;

(3) that the three solar farm projects proposed or approved are projected to deliver economic benefits worth more than $100 million to the ACT economy and create over 100 jobs in the construction stage; and

(4) that the concerns raised by residents of Uriarra Village will be fully considered through the development assessment process set out in the Planning and Development Act.”.

Madam Speaker, I understand the concerns that have led to this motion being put before the Assembly today. I feel it is important that I clarify a number of important aspects about the government’s policy for the establishment of solar power plants in the ACT. The ACT’s large-scale solar auction was developed in the context of the government’s climate change action plan 2, known as AP2. Successful proposals under the large-scale solar auction process will directly contribute to our greenhouse gas emission reduction targets as set out in AP2.

Actions 12 and 13 of AP2 relate to further developing large-scale renewable energy generation to achieve a target of 90 per cent of the territory’s electricity consumption


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