It is important for our political representatives to represent the needs and desires of their constituents and in turn articulate those desires to the  legislators. That's how its supposed to work!

Lets see what our local representatives have to say on Climate Change.

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 Local Member for Bega: Andrew Constance

 

Speech – Bega RSL Clean Energy for Eternity, Monday August 21, 2006

 

"Thank you Matthew Knott and the Clean Energy for Eternity Committee for your efforts in driving awareness and seeking change in our community in relation to climate change.

 No doubt Matthew will go into more detail about the effects of climate change, so I thought I would tonight concentrate on a possible way forward that seeks to achieve the necessary environmental goals whilst being economically and socially viable for the community.

 Three years ago in Parliament I stated that the broader policy questions about the environment mean surely it is time to dare our Government and community to consider every option—alternative energy, recycling of water, charging market price for the resources we use, and many other ideas.

 I think that everyone would agree that we do not face a catastrophe today, however we are creating one for tomorrow. All of us here will be judged harshly if our children look back at this moment and say: they understood well enough, and yet failed to act.

 The degradation of our environment through climate change, the diminution of biodiversity, the salination of our land and the abuse of underpriced and precious resources are a disgrace.

Yet one of the greatest challenges for the 21st century is our response to a changing climate. Whilst people will debate the cause and the degree to which climate change is affecting our planet, we must seek to address and protect our environment with a greater emphasis being placed on the renewable energy sector and developing the technologies that will ultimately minimise greenhouse gas emissions.

 Too often public debate on the environment is forced inside the constraining paradigm of: development bad, protection good. These are incredibly complex issues that we face.

 It is sad that so many of our business and government leaders around the world come to this debate interested in it only if there are votes and dollars attached.

According to the CSIRO the likely impact of climate change by 2030 is as follows:

  • 70% increase in drought frequency
  • Increased risk to Infrastructure
  • Decreased water availability for agriculture
  • Increased insurance premiums

 Survey results indicate that 80% of people are concerned about climate change, its impact on the environment and the best approach to managing it.

Yet I believe that in the order of the same number of people do not believe they can effect change as an individual.

 Therein lies the reason for all us being here tonight.

 

I am sorry to quote some statistics but I believe them to be important:

  • According to ABARE we will see an increase in electricity consumption of 32% over the next 15 years in NSW.
  • In 2002 NSW emitted 59 million tonnes of Greenhouse of which 40% is caused by electricity generation.
  • In NSW 90% of electricity is generated by black coal and between 1990 and 2002 greenhouse gas emissions increased by 44% in NSW

The fact is that there is no silver bullet to address our energy needs. In the future we must look to a combination of natural gas, renewable energies and demand management, particularly at peak times. The advent of greater electronic appliance use in everyone’s home means we must be doing more to conserve electricity by encouraging people to turn off these products at the wall.

Tonight I am calling on my parliamentary Labor and Liberal State colleagues to give consideration to a State based renewable energy target similarly to that which is being proposed for the Bega Valley here tonight and the implementation of a ethanol and bio diesel scheme that if required would be mandated through legislation.

We must seek to transition NSW towards a less greenhouse intensive economy by providing an impetus for the renewable technologies to develop and succeed and the provision of incentives to reduce motor vehicle emissions through ethanol and bio diesel use.

Whilst we are seeing the implementation of emissions trading schemes around the world, it is key that we provide greater encouragement for the renewable energy sector. 

The implementation of a renewable energy scheme I believe is an affordable and significant step forward for NSW. 

As a nation we must seek to develop the renewable energy technologies that will drive the development of major power projects that will create substantial employment opportunities and investment in the economy whilst achieving our environmental goals.

Coupled with this is the need to place greater emphasis into improving energy efficiency and incentives.

Bioenergy, solar, wind power, natural gas, hydro, demand management and other energy sources such as geothermal must receive greater attention.

It is not wise to put all our research dollars into the one single cure for our energy needs.

In Victoria electricity retailers will be required to purchase a minimum10% renewable energy by the year 2016.

The Victorian State Government is hoping that it will have a minimal effect on average power bill. The scheme is operating via a competitive market in supplying renewable energy to meet this target demand. This market based approach means that the projects likely to go ahead will be those that can supply this market at the cheapest possible price, and will include a mixture of wind, hydro and biomass.

In addition the scheme will provide a small incentive to encourage the installation of solar panels on a number of households.

As renewable power is currently more expensive than coal-fired generation electricity retailers will pass through the additional cost to their customers and that will be a cost that they will have to pay for renewable energies in Victoria.

A flip side to this is that the direct investment in Australian-based renewable energy manufacturers will be more than $1 billion, with flow-on stimulus of more than $2 billion throughout the economy.  

In the order of more than 3,300 jobs will be created in the construction of these projects with flow-on jobs of 7,500

As a community we need to make efficient and sustainable use of our energy resources and infrastructure.

Low emission technologies such as renewable technologies and natural gas have the flexibility to contribute to a green house emission constrained future.

This is where I hope that we head and do so quickly.

Ends.