Peter Garrett MP
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Environment

I stand before you as a huge fan of renewable energy - so it’s a very real pleasure to speak to you tonight.

I also stand before you as someone who’s been following the documentary just out about Joe Strummer, from The Clash. And I’ve got to say my favourite Clash song – “Should I stay or should I go” – has been reminding me of another politician this week. I mean, when are we actually going to have this election?

But back to renewable energy.

Yesterday’s announcement of a proposed $2 billion wind farm development in New South Wales should be seen as a sign of what this industry can achieve.

And I know there are a number of similar projects in the pipeline.

Your industry represents the future. And I assert to you that Rudd Labor represents the future too.

Mind you, we both face extraordinary hostility from the Howard Government, and in particular from a range of Howard Government ministers.

Barely a fortnight ago we had Fran Bailey, the Minister for Small Business and Tourism – and I think you know what I’m about to say – but I will remind you anyway, saying:

"My own view . . . is I have always thought that wind technology . . . was far more suited to the northern hemisphere than the southern hemisphere".

“You’re stuck with this monstrosity of infrastructure…” and,

"To even contemplate building these in beautiful natural environments - they are just a blot on the landscape."

I have to say that is not how Labor sees the wind industry, not in a million years.

It has long been clear to me that renewables, including wind power, can play a major role in meeting Australia’s needs for low emissions energy in the age of escalating climate change impacts.

It is the case that under the Howard Government the renewable sector has been sorely neglected.

There’s no lack of examples of the neglect. In fact, the first question I ever put to Environment Minister Turnbull was whether the government would increase the renewable energy target.

I received no answer. The repeated message from the Government was to specifically downplay the role renewables could play.

Only in recent weeks did the Government bundle existing and planned state schemes into its so-called ‘clean energy target’ – more on that later.

But Australians will face a choice at the ballot box very soon, and that choice will have a profound effect on Australia’s renewable energy industry.

So tonight I want to lay out the very vivid and stark differences between Labor’s approach to clean energy and the government’s approach.

Labor has a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change.

We view climate change as our greatest economic, environmental and moral challenge.

Labor has identified 10 key measures, a 10 point plan, for addressing dangerous climate change. I won’t go through all of it in detail, but I will focus on some of the key points of interest to you, the wind industry.

One – Restoring Australia’s international leadership

A Rudd Labor Government will ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately. At the earliest opportunity we will show Australia is serious about a global solution to climate change.

There is not a skerrick of doubt that Australia is missing out on billions in economic activity because of its stubborn refusal to ratify Kyoto. And, as usual, we have no exact figures because the Government simply has not done its homework on this issue. The Treasurer didn’t even mention climate change in a decade of budget speeches.

But that would be no surprise to the Australian wind industry.

Australian companies Roaring 40s and Pacific Hydro have become minority partners in Clean Development Mechanism projects, but are unable to take up greater control because Australia is not a party to Kyoto.

This situation will definitely change if we are fortunate enough to be elected to govern later this year.

Two – Developing a carbon market and reforming our institutions

A Rudd Labor Government would set a target to cut Australia’s greenhouse pollution by 60% by 2050, and would introduce a national emissions trading scheme by 2010.

This is the single most important incentive for greater investment in wind power.

Under Labor, it will happen sooner, there will be no unnecessary delays.

What a tragedy that the Howard Government rejected a detailed proposal for an emissions trading scheme in 1999 and again in 2003. How much stronger would the wind industry be now if that proposal wasn’t rejected? It’s a crying shame.

If elected to government Labor will act promptly to establish a national emissions trading scheme, with the detailed design finalised by the end of 2008.

In addition, Labor will establish a national standard for carbon offsets to ensure consumer confidence in the rapidly growing carbon offset and carbon neutral markets.

Three – Lead by example

Here’s a radical notion: a Federal Government putting its money where its mouth is on climate change policy. We will use government’s purchasing power to develop markets for efficient technologies and we will set an objective to power Parliament House and all MP electorate offices with renewable and clean energy.

Four – Drive a clean energy revolution

This is critical to your industry, and aligns with the emphasis on innovation and skills development so central to Labor’s policy framework.

Labor will substantially increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. Sorry, no exclusive tonight, but Labor will substantially increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target, beyond what the Government has said it would do.

You would be aware of economic modelling commissioned by the Renewable Energy Generators Association (REGA), which highlighted the importance of a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change.

The modelling showed that under all the targets modelled households would have less than $4 a year added to their electricity bills over the next ten years.

In the long-term, the modelling shows households will have their electricity bills cut as the cost of renewable energy decreases.

A strong renewable energy target will deliver a massive boost to the development of an efficient and valuable renewable energy sector.

Miles George from Babcock and Brown Wind Partners has suggested Australia has one of the best wind resources in the world, and has the potential to turn into a $16 billion industry.

That would be a huge boost for regional Australia. And the employment opportunities are immense.

There are already some 17,000 Australians employed in renewable energy and related industries, most of those in regional Australia. The majority of those jobs are in the wind industry.

A stronger renewable energy target would set Australia up as an exporter of renewable energy technology into a global market that is growing rapidly and which some analysts say could be worth $750 billion a year by 2016.

This is precisely where I think Australia should be heading – building industrial capacity yet reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.

To that end last month I announced initiatives which would help ensure that under a Rudd Labor Government, Australia will become the clean energy hub of the Asia-Pacific, making clean energy central to Australia’s economic and environmental future.

Specific initiatives to help Australian businesses take a larger slice of the global renewable energy market include a $15 million Clean Energy Export Strategy and up to $20 million for a Clean Energy Enterprise Connect Centre.

The Clean Energy Export Strategy will provide critical capacity in Austrade to promote Australian clean energy exports. Austrade liaison officers will work with individual clean energy firms to match their strengths with opportunities in clean energy growth markets such as China, India, Japan and the United States.

Five – Greening Our Homes

Offering rebates and low interest loans to encourage the uptake of energy and water efficiency and solar power and hot water.

Six – Investing in Cleaner Business

Seven – Investing in sustainable agriculture and protecting our biodiversity

Eight – Investing in cleaner transport, including a $500 million Green Car Partnership

Nine – Understanding and preparing for the impact of climate change

The truth is Australia is unprepared for the dramatic impact of climate change.

Labor will fast-track a national climate change adaptation plan.

We will also establish the true costs of climate change inaction through the Garnaut review – an Australian Stern review.

This review will play a critical role in determining how to achieve significant emissions reductions on a least-cost basis: through energy efficiency, emissions trading, technological breakthroughs, increased use of renewable energy, and joining international trading schemes such as those operating under Kyoto.

Finally - Securing our future water supplies

By any measure, that’s a comprehensive approach to climate change.

And tonight, I make this commitment:

Labor will take the most comprehensive climate change policy and the most comprehensive environment policy in Australia’s history to the next election.

That will be good news for Australia’s environment, good news for the Australian economy and good news for Australia’s wind energy industry.

Let’s compare that with the Howard Government approach where the Prime Minister for years stubbornly refused to increase the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target and as late as August this year was saying he wouldn’t increase MRET.

The Howard years will always be known as the years of climate change delay, denial and inaction.

Some will say – yes, but he has now established a Clean Energy Target.

Let’s look at the reality. The Prime Minister’s Clean Energy Target is simply stolen goods.

He has taken the renewable energy targets set by State Labor Governments but in the process weakened the outcome for the renewable energy industry by allowing the targets to be met with low emissions technology. In other words, he has opened the door to nuclear reactors.

For the Prime Minister, it seems clean energy targets provide a respectable pathway to achieving his nuclear dreams.

I have to say I was surprised by the response to the Government’s announcement from some members of the clean energy industry.
As some observers noted, the government simply committed itself to a renewable energy target that was already in place.

Your industry deserves better than what the Howard Government has been prepared to offer.

I know that Dominique La Fontaine of the Clean Energy Council and others have expressed concern about the delay before the Government’s clean energy target takes effect.

We are certainly looking at the issues raised by the industry in response to the clean energy target announcement.

We understand the need to have a cooperative relationship with State Governments to ensure a smooth transition between energy target schemes.

We are committed to working cooperatively with the State Labor Governments across the board. Reducing industry uncertainty is a clear priority.

We are committed to working with you to secure a sustainable future for Australia – one that marries our capacity to innovate and develop with our need to address dangerous climate change.

You are ready to do great things. We have the people, we have the enthusiasm, we have the managerial skills, now all we need is the leadership from Government.

Labor will drive a clean energy revolution and make Australia a clean energy hub for the Asia-Pacific.

I look forward to working with you to build a strong wind energy industry as part of this approach.

Not just for next year, or the next term of Parliament but for decades and generations to come.