The Nature Conservation Council welcomes the passage of the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Bill through NSW Parliament this afternoon with cross-party support after a marathon 32-hour sitting of the upper house.
The bill will ensure about 60 wind and solar farms are built over the next 10 years, creating 9,000 jobs and stimulating $32 billion in private investment. These projects will prevent the emission of 90 million tonnes of climate pollution.
“The passage of this bill shows that all sides of politics agree we must get on with building the clean-energy future our state needs,” NCC Chief Executive Chris Gambian said.
“This law is proof that NSW can act on climate change at the same time as creating jobs and reducing power bills.”
The NSW Electricity Infrastructure Investment Bill will accelerate the construction of transmission lines to regional NSW and support the development of new solar, wind and pumped-hydro projects.
“Everyone in NSW has skin in this game,” Mr Gambian said. “Last bushfire season showed we are now on the front line of climate change impacts, and scientists have warned that if we don’t immediately cut climate pollution, fire seasons will get much worse.
“This law will see about 60 new solar and wind farms constructed across the state, more than quadrupling clean-energy generation.”
The Liberal Party, ALP, the Nationals, the Greens, Christian Democrats, Animal Justice Party and independent MPs supported the bill. Only Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party opposed.
“Global heating is a massive global crisis,” Mr Gambian said. “This plan demonstrates that we can find pathways through this crisis that help modernise and strengthen our economy.”