1st Aug 2019, 12:13 PM – Senate Committees - Energy - Consistent national energy policy

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Tasmanian Senator Anne Urquhart (Labor), which means it failed.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) Tasmania, and mainland Australia, stand to reap significant benefits from the Battery of the Nation and Marinus Link projects, including lower power prices, lower carbon emissions, additional income and new jobs,

(ii) the initial feasibility study into Marinus Link concludes that the Marinus Link and related Battery of the Nation projects are only economically viable in the 'High Emission Reduction Target' scenario, which includes a significant increase in renewable energy investment, over a business as usual scenario over the next decade,

(iii) according to the feasibility study, under a business as usual 'neutral' scenario, which corresponds to the Federal Government's approach to renewable energy investment, the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects have a net cost of up to $730 million dollars, while under the High Emission Reduction Target scenario, the projects have a net benefit of up to $482 million,

(iv) the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects will not go ahead unless they deliver net benefits to Tasmania and the nation,

(v) after announcing 14 energy policies, the Federal Government still refuses to introduce any policy to support renewable energy investment to replace the 2020 Renewable Energy Target, which will be fully acquitted next year, and

(vi) without consistent national energy policy that supports renewable energy investment, the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects will not go ahead; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to introduce a consistent national energy policy that supports renewable energy investment through the 2020s and addresses carbon emissions as well as affordability and reliability in the electricity sector, to ensure the Marinus Link and Battery of the Nation projects go ahead.