Climate bills an 'economic opportunity'
Sep 8, 2022 | The Examiner | Clancy Balen
AS THE federal government looks set to pass their climate bill, and the state government pushes their own through the lower house, Tasmania is poised to take advantage of a boost in new renewable investments. Tasmanian Labor senator Helen Polley said the Albanese government's climate bill, which will have a 43 per cent by 2030 emissions reduction target and will likely pass through the senate this week, would send a message the nation was ready for more renewable investment.
Senator Polley's comments come as the Tasmanian government on Tuesday saw tripartisan support from Labor and the Greens for their own climate bill that has a target of net-zero emissions, or lower, from 2030. "I have to give credit where credit's due," Senator Polley said. "I know that [state Energy Minister] Guy Barnett has been up in Canberra lobbying [federal Energy Minister] Chris Bowen so they can see the opportunities this will bring".
Although Senator Polley said the state government had "piggybacked" off the federal government's climate change goals, the new state climate policy would mean "a stronger economy and more jobs in Tasmania and the state leading the way in renewable energies". She said Tasmania would need to back the private sector, identifying LINE Hydrogen and Firmus Tasmania as "leaders in the energy and storage space". Despite the lack of infrastructure Brisbane built Australia's first hydrogen station last June - the nascent zero-emissions hydrogen technology in Australia has picked up traction in recent months, with proposed re-fuelling stations along the Hume Highway. Senator Polley said LINE Hydrogen could build at least five hydrogen refuelling stations across Tasmania, which would create 135 direct jobs and about 80 downstream jobs. This is on top of a $5 million investment in green hydrogen production to replace diesel in Tasmanian trucks and buses. Tasmanian Environment Minister Roger Jaensch said
The result is a stronger economy and more jobs in Tasmania, and the state leading the way in renewable energies.
Senator Helen Polley
in a statement on Tuesday the state government's climate change bill would now include a requirement to develop a Climate Change Action Plan within a year, and Emissions Reduction and Resilience Plans within two years. Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White said the bill had been passed with amendments to improve transparency and reporting, but criticised the government for voting against including an independent Joint House Parliamentary Committee to oversee climate action.