Page 163 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 11 February 2015

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At the same time, we know that Windlab are committed to growing their workforce over the next three to four years by a third. Ask how many businesses in Canberra are growing their workforce by a third over the next three to four years. This is a fantastic outcome, particularly for a Canberra-based start-up company, a company that is a winner of the exporter of the year award from the Chief Minister’s export awards. At the same time, Windlab are committing to operate their global wind operation centre, for wind farms overseas and here in Australia, from Canberra. They are committing to employing more people from our universities. (Time expired.)

MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Fitzharris.

MS FITZHARRIS: Minister, what is next for the renewable energy sector in the ACT?

MR CORBELL: What is next, of course, is more jobs and more investment in our wind energy and renewable energy generation sector. And what is coming is $1.2 million in renewable energy innovation fund support from the wind developer Neoen.

Opposition members interjecting—

MADAM SPEAKER: Order!

MR CORBELL: What is coming is $240 million of broader economic benefits—

Dr Bourke: A point of order.

MADAM SPEAKER: Dr Bourke, a point of order.

Dr Bourke: The speaker is being continuously interrupted by interjections from the opposition. I ask you to call them to order.

MADAM SPEAKER: Actually, I would say, Dr Bourke, that the speaker was not interrupted. The only interruption came from your point of order. I think that by that stage the opposition had quietened down.

MR CORBELL: What fantastic outcomes for our economy as a result. The government will now be reviewing the outcomes of the latest auction, as we do with each auction round, and then we will be proposing to proceed with a further auction round of 50 megawatts for large-scale solar with storage capability here in Canberra and in the broader area.

These are great opportunities to demonstrate how solar with storage can help improve the reliability of alternative energy generation and at the same time help us to move further towards our large-scale renewable energy target. I know that those opposite have never supported this program, in the same way as they have never supported measures to help save households money on their electricity bills. They have voted against legislation that delivers energy savings in Canberra homes. But this


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