Senator BARNETT (3:35 PM) —I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 740 by deleting in paragraph (b)(iii) the words after the word ‘result’ and replacing them with ‘in additional costs to end users significantly greater than the $3 to $4 per annum increases anticipated by the government’.

Leave granted.

Senator BARNETT —I, and also on behalf of Senator Fisher, move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes that:

(i)   major flaws in the design of the Federal Government’s renewable energy target legislation have led to a dramatic drop in the price of renewable energy certificates and stalled investment in the renewable energy sector,

(ii)   the Federal Government has now acknowledged these concerns and foreshadows legislation to remedy these flaws and advised that the bill will be introduced mid-2010 with a start date of 1 January 2011,

(iii)   delays have already caused a loss of jobs, including at the Musselroe Bay Wind Farm development in north-east Tasmania and have threatened the proposed expansion of the Hallett Wind Farm in South Australia, and

(iv)   any further delay will cause a further loss of jobs; and

(b)   calls on the Government to:

(i)   work cooperatively with industry, the community and the opposition parties to ensure the bill is properly designed and introduced without delay,

(ii)   without delay, release any modelling or other analysis on which this proposal is based, and

(iii)   provide assurances that the legislation will not result in additional costs to end users significantly greater than the $3 to $4 per annum increases anticipated by the Government.