MINISTERIAL STATEMENT: Climate Change

Hon. MAJ SCANLON (Gaven—ALP) (Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef
and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs) (10.04 am):

It is great to finally have a federal government that takes climate change seriously, investing $25 billion in climate action over the next decade, with $62.6 million locked in to this budget to support small to medium enterprises to fund energy-efficient equipment upgrades. This complements the work that we are doing here in Queensland with our EcoBiz program, alongside CCIQ.

Across the state, more than 1,000 businesses have registered for EcoBiz. From RACV in Noosa
and White Whale Coffee Roasters and Cardzilla in Cairns to Guymer Bailey Architects in Toowong,
businesses are signing up to save money and the environment at the same time. In fact, 90 per cent of
participating businesses have already recorded an increase in productivity and savings. Many
businesses have been able to reduce their waste, water and energy usage upwards of 40 per cent
within a year.

On top of that program, our Energy and Jobs Plan will deliver $35 million for our Queensland
Business Energy Saving and Transformation program, targeting small- and medium-sized businesses.
The QBEST program will deliver support for businesses to purchase energy-efficient equipment and
smart technology such as fans, pumps, heating ventilation and air conditioners, and to implement
energy management systems. In fact, independent modelling indicates that, under our Energy and Jobs
Plan, lower wholesale electricity prices will flow through to lower retail bills, with the average annual bill
for a small business to be $1,495 lower by 2032 than without the plan.

These programs are just a couple of the ways that the Palaszczuk government is doing our bit to
ease the national cost-of-living pressures and inflation that we know are impacting everyone in our
communities. Unlike the former federal government that did not have a plan and tried to hide the cost
of energy due to their failures, on this side of the House we actually have a plan to drive down emissions
and energy bills. We are able to do that because we have kept our assets in public hands. Unlike other
states and the former Newman government, we do not want profits going to corporate shareholders;
we want them going back into the pockets of Queensland businesses and households. That is why we
are investing to deliver cleaner and cheaper energy, owned by Queenslanders for Queenslanders.