Mr CONROY (Charlton) (15:41): What a pathetic contribution we have just seen on this MPI on renewable energy. What is clear is that not only are the National Party dictating to the Liberal Party on marriage equality but they are also dictating on economic policy. The entire economic policy of the coalition is to stick their head in the sand, to consign Australia to being the rust-belt economy of the Asia-Pacific. The truth is that this is not an argument about the environment, it is not an argument about feeling good; it is an argument about hard economics and what is in the economic interests of Australia? It is clearly in the economic interests of this country to have jobs of the future, to abate carbon at the lowest possible cost through an emissions trading scheme and other associated policies, to take a rational policy and implement that policy and to make the transition as smooth and efficient as possible, rather than adopt the government's direct command and control, Bolshevik style, that would do Comrade Lenin proud. That is what has been clear in this debate. The previous speaker talked about real jobs. I am not sure whether the Minister for the Environment even bothers turning up to cabinet anymore; he just has a little side meeting with Minister Macfarlane of the 'Rolled Cabinet Ministers Club,' who does not bother turning up. We have seen their ideological masters in Maurice Newman and the wind turbine noise conspiracy theorists, who think that wind turbine noise will somehow end the world. This is a purely ideological debate from their side, with no basis in science or economics. And this country is suffering as a result. When I discovered the MPI was going to be on renewables I thought, 'Let's go to some source material, let's see what the government have said about renewables,' because they are supposed to be the year of good government. I went to their document shield, Real Solutions, their election policy which Tony Abbott hid behind. How many mentions of renewable are there in this? Guess. Zero. What about Battlelines, a great read? How many mentions of 'renewables' in Battlelines? Zero. What about the greatest political suicide note since Fightback—Not Your Average Joe? Zero mentions of renewables. What about a certain member's long-term contribution to this House, because we should be judged by what we speak on in the chamber, our contribution to the public debate. I had a look in Hansard for the Prime Minister's contribution over the last 21 years and guess how many times he has mentioned 'renewables' in 21 years of parliament? Three times. Just to give some context, once every seven years, the former chief of staff to the Treasurer— Opposition members interjecting— Mr CONROY: The Prime Minister has mentioned BA Santamaria four times. He has mentioned bananas three times, bikes six times and apples 10 times. So, in the Prime Minister's mind, apples are three times as important to this country as renewables, which I think will give some heart to the Nationals but probably not to anyone else in this country. That is the sad pity of where this debate is. Those on the other side have presided over the greatest investment strike in renewable power ever seen. As the shadow minister mentioned, there has been an 88 per cent decline, falling from $2.7 billion under Labor to less than $200 million. We have fallen from 11th in the world to the 39th, putting us behind that paragon of renewable power investment, Myanmar. The Burmese generals get it; Australia does not get it, unfortunately. This is all under a government instituting Direct Action; something that has produced a $66 carbon price. The real tragedy of all of this is that it is not my generation that will suffer; it is my kids' generation and my grandkids'. If we do not take action and transition to the lowest possible cost, they will suffer. We will face carbon tariffs; we will face a rust belt economy where we cannot compete because we will be too carbon intensive—and my region will suffer more than most. I am proud to have the biggest power station in the country. I am proud to have four coalmines still operational. I am proud to have the CSIRO's clean energy flagship in the Hunter region. We can lead this country as a clean energy hub, but we need good investment from a government that accepts the science of climate change and that accepts the good economic policy of an emissions trading scheme and renewable energy industry policies. That is the way forward—not their aggressive, reactionary, DLP, BA Santamaria rhetoric that will condemn them throughout history as reactionaries who led Australia down the wrong path and condemned future generations to being the poor white trash of Asia.