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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-05 Daily Xml
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CLIMATE CHANGE

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:09): Can the Premier inform the house what the state government is doing in support of the theme for World Environment Day 2008, which is climate change and has the slogan, 'Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy'?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:09): In his message for World Environment Day, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon admits that our world is 'in the grip of a dangerous carbon habit.' But to break the addiction, we all have to play our part as individuals, organisations, businesses or governments. It is a message that we have already taken to heart in South Australia. The carbon-constrained world of the 21st century provides us with as many opportunities as it does challenges.

What it does not offer us is a choice. We have no alternative but to act now and to act decisively. With our economy in buoyant shape, our challenge is to ensure that we grow in a sustainable way. Achieving a balance will be difficult, but it is crucial. I have no doubt that our choice is not between the economy and the environment. Indeed, I believe that not only can the two exist side by side but also in many cases can fuel each other's growth. Neither government nor business can achieve that balance on its own. The urgency of kicking the world's carbon habit means that we must be united in our planning, we must be strategic in our thinking and we must be proactive in our approach.

Since being elected into office the South Australian government has progressively been working with all levels of government and business to have climate change put on the agenda. We achieved some success in 2005 when we were successful in putting the issue of climate change on the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agenda. I was given the proviso of making sure that I did not discuss national emissions trading schemes or Kyoto. How absolutely absurd! We were able to get a working party out of that. It was an important step, which was followed by South Australia arguing for mandatory greenhouse gas emission reporting—which, of course, was the first step towards establishing an emissions scheme.

The states and territories decided to work together on their own discussion paper on emissions trading and, through the Council for the Australian Federation, under brilliant chairmanship we commissioned Professor Ross Garnaut in 2007 to undertake his work on climate change and the design of a national emissions trading scheme—in the face of climate change deniers headed by John Howard.

I remember, when I released that discussion paper with John Thwaites and Morris Iemma on Bondi Beach, how I was besmirched in the federal parliament by the former prime minister. We were accused of wrecking the Australian economy. What a difference a few months makes. A few more polls came out and suddenly he was not only George Bush's friend but also Al Gore's. Anyway, those days are behind us. I think it is terrific that the first act of a Labor government in Canberra was to go to Bali to sign the Kyoto agreement.

South Australia is today recognised as a national leader and, in some cases, a global leader in climate change policy and renewable energy development. We have Australia's first Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act, which sets targets of cutting the state's emissions by at least 60 per cent of 1990 levels by the end of 2050—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: He says 'voluntary'. I remember what happened in this parliament when members opposite said that my proposal for legislation was simply inadequate and was not tough enough. Then there was a phone call from Canberra. Then there was a phone call from the business community. The next day what Rann was doing was too tough. It was going to destroy the economy. This is their policy substance—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: Walking both sides of the street, as usual.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Walking both sides of the street and emitting diesel fumes at the same time. It also sets a target—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Members opposite sneered when we announced our target in the legislation of having 20 per cent of our energy coming from renewable sources by 2014. I will invite them next year in this parliament to celebrate the day when we achieve that target five years ahead of schedule. That generation target will be met by next year—putting South Australia in a world leading position.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: He says that he had a briefing note about it. Maybe that briefing note might have told him that when we came to office not one wind turbine was operating in this state. Now we have 47 per cent of the nation's wind energy and 40 per cent of the nation's grid connected solar power and 80 per cent of the exploration and development work on hot rocks geothermal activity. I am quite happy to give a lecture—a symposium—on this. In fact, I can reveal to the house that I have said to this energy minister, who has stood shoulder to shoulder with me as we lead the world on sustainable energy, that I want him to look at lunar energy next. In fact, I am quite prepared to put that in his ministerial title, because I believe that lunar energy—tidal energy to the non-believers—should be our next policy embrace.

As Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change, I announced this year (and I am sure this will lead the news tonight) that the state government was putting its money where its mouth was by achieving carbon neutrality for its operations by 2020—the first government in the world to be carbon neutral and, by 2014, the first government in the world that I have heard of (although I know that Bhutan has a strategic plan that has a gross national happiness index) where 50 per cent of the state government's power requirements for schools, hospitals, government buildings, police stations and fire stations, the parliament and members' electorate offices will come from accredited green power.

I was delighted to announce this week that the first geothermal power will be produced out of the area near Innamincka by January next year. There are also our wind farm developments. We started by education, and that was the critical key to this. People called it symbolism, but symbolism is so important in basically bringing people with you. Tim Flannery, two days before I was sworn in as Premier, came to me and said, 'Can we put solar panels and solar power at the Museum, the Art Gallery, the State Library and Parliament House?' I am told that a couple of days ago the panels were installed on the Adelaide Airport, and the next move is the biggest solar array on any rooftop in Australia, five times bigger than the Victorian markets—10,000 square metres of solar panels are to be installed at the new Goyder Pavilion at the Royal Showgrounds.

I am delighted that we have signed the first voluntary agreement (which was sneered at by members opposite) with the wine industry. I know that the barons of the Barossa on the other side of this house (whom I admire enormously) believe that we did the right thing at the London Wine Show—and, I must say, it was nice drinking Grange Hermitage at 10 in the morning. There is the agreement with the Local Government Association of South Australia and the Property Council. These sector agreements are a key element of the state's climate change legislation, through which we can tackle carbon emissions.

Then there is our Million Trees Program. First of all it was a million trees. Then Herbert Girardet, one of our thinkers in residence, said that we could help to reduce the carbon footprint of Adelaide with a series of interlinked urban forests with three million trees, and now a further 2.5 million trees will be planted for the new River Murray Forest. Of course, South Australia is used to being a leader. I know there are some advisers from the 1970s in the gallery who advised the Dunstan government during the glory years, people who were exalted by the likes of Des Corcoran (my fashion and decor adviser), when we showed—

Ms CHAPMAN: Sir, I rise on a point of order. The Premier is well aware, after 30 years, of standing orders not to refer to people in the gallery.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Some 30 years ago, Glen Broomhill introduced legislation, for which he was condemned, which brought in container deposit legislation, after Oregon—I admit, the Oregonians were doing—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —no, not Origamis; Oregonians—were leading in this area to bring in container deposit legislation. We are very pleased that, as part of our response, we have decided to make it 10¢ rather than 5¢. We are still the only state to have had the guts to do so. Of course, as part of our response to adaptation, the state government is committed to protecting our biodiversity on land and water by establishing five biodiversity corridors across the state, as well as 19 marine parks by 2010. Then we will move on to plastic bags. Somaliland has banned plastic bags; also Ireland, France, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and soon South Australia.

The challenges ahead are great and some tough decisions will need to be made. All addictions are tough to break and our addiction to carbon is no exception. This addiction poses a terrible threat to future generations, so we must work together—business, government and the community—to plan our withdrawal, because we have to do it in a most committed way in a series of partnerships. South Australia is leading the way. And breaking news, if you do not believe me, ask David Suzuki, my friend Mikhail Gorbachev, Al Gore, Robert Kennedy Junior, lair, or David Miliband and, in a chorus singing in unison, they will hail what this parliament and this government have achieved.

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