E&OE….
Topics: Bill Shorten’s latest plan to hike power bills, passing of Don Randall
STEVE CHASE:
Greg Hunt, you’ve seen on the front page of some of the Fairfax papers today, some scant details of the Renewable Energy Target we’re told Bill Shorten is going to announce to the Conference this weekend. Does it fill you with dismay, or not?
GREG HUNT:
Well this all seems like an extraordinary diversion. A week ago they were caught red-handed with a secret plan, details for a massive new carbon tax which would have a massive hit on electricity prices. That plan still exists according to the fine print in today’s articles. They’re still planning on a carbon tax, they’ll call it an emissions trading scheme, but it’s the same thing with the same effect, with the same hit on electricity prices. So this all feels like a massive diversion from a massive leak with massive electricity prices.
STEVE CHASE:
But it is a point of difference. Fifty per cent target over fifteen years for large scale energy projects from renewables – that’s very different from what you’re offering.
GREG HUNT:
Well who knows what they’re offering because this wasn’t even included in their formal shadow cabinet submission of just a week ago. So this plan has obviously been cooked up in a week. They need to set out very clear markers today – will they or won’t they have a carbon tax? Even if you’re calling it an emissions trading scheme, it’s still a carbon tax.
That’s the fundamental question because electricity prices under a carbon tax will soar and then what will be the implications of this proposal because we’ve just voted jointly for stability in the renewable energy sector. It’s going to be a big ask to achieve what’s already been passed, but what’s this going to mean in terms of who pays, how much, where will it be, what are the costs going to be? They need to set these facts out today, but at the end of the day, it’s a diversion from the fact that they’ve got a carbon tax – they know it, we know it and the public knows it.
STEVE CHASE:
Minister, if I could ask you about Don Randall, one of your colleagues, who died suddenly yesterday – quite a loss for your side of politics?
GREG HUNT:
Yes. I knew him very well. I visited his electorate on many occasions, you know, he’s a big hearted guy. He took immense care of his electorate, he was incredibly proud of his family. He really loved his family, and that’s not just something I say, he really was and then he also took huge care of his staff. He sort of worked to have them promoted out of his office into Minister’s offices to advance their career and he was very generous in that way.
STEVE CHASE:
And well liked from both sides of politics by all accounts?
GREG HUNT:
Yeah, look he was a big-hearted guy and he had friends on both sides of the chamber. His staff – and this is a great test – adored him. They thought that he was just a tremendous mentor and he was passionate about his electorate.
COMPERE:
That’s the Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, speaking there to Steve Chase.
(ENDS)