Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Water) Share this | Hansard source

I will take that interjection, Senator Brandis. He says they were there before we were. I have acknowledged, Senator, that you introduced the first renewable energy target—you then failed to follow it up. You may have missed my introduction, but it is not enough to simply start a policy and then fail to take advice that is very clear about the need to adjust that policy to achieve the outcomes. What occurred eventually under you is that renewables as a proportion of total energy usage went backwards.

I urge those opposite who have become supporters of renewable energy in recent times to join this bigger fight, the fight against climate change, and, when the government next presents the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, I urge them to support that bill. I want to make this commitment again in this place: if the opposition come forward with serious and credible amendments—