30 June 2011
With Budget Estimates in State Parliament all week, MLCs have been grilling the government over the coming year’s budget. Greens MP Robin Chapple took Energy Minister Collier to task over climate change.
“The Minister wasn’t able to give us the figures on greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production. When asked for this critical information, the Minister backed the Office of Energy who claimed it wasn’t their job,” Mr Chapple said.
“When asked who in this Government is measuring greenhouse gas emission from electricity production, the Energy Minister wasn’t able to answer and agreed to take it on notice.
“I look forward to his response. It is crucial that this government step up to the mark and start treating climate change seriously”, Mr Chapple said.
The Budget papers show that the Office of Energy has no target for energy efficiency programs in the coming year. The Office of Energy has ‘key effectiveness indicators ’ for energy efficiency, measured in Kilowatt hours avoided – the 2010-11 target was 162,200 KwHrs, only 45,688 KwHrs was achieved, and there is no target for 2011-12.
When asked about this, Departmental officials admitted they did not have any programs ready to go to meet an energy efficiency target.
The Budget papers also show declining renewable energy targets for the Office of Energy. Measured in Kilowatt hours displaced, the renewable energy target for 2010-11 was 24,563,500 KwHrs, the office achieved 21,145,017 KwHrs, but the target for 2011-12 will only be 16,937,368 KwHrs.
Mr Chapple was incredulous about why any government would reduce a renewable energy target in this day and age. The Minister and Department simply responded that programs were closing.
“Minister Collier must act to ensure that his Department is addressing climate change. The risks are real, and facing us all now, and this government appears to have no idea. This is completely unacceptable.”
Footnote 1: See Budget Papers Volume 3, page 605 (Office of Energy)
For more information please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255
