Prime Minister’s Task Group on Energy Efficiency

The Government has established a Task Group on Energy Efficiency to advise the Prime Minister, by mid-2010, on ‘the most economically, environmentally effective and socially inclusive energy efficiency mechanisms that will improve energy efficiency in Australia by 2020.’ The Prime Minister has ‘identified energy efficiency as a key plank in the Government’s suite of policies to reduce emissions and place Australia on the path to a low carbon economy.’

Although Australia’s energy intensity has been decreasing over recent decades, it is still relatively high by OECD standards.
The Government wants to find new measures that will complement the $5 billion of funding it has already announced towards energy efficiency measures, which include regulatory reform, provision of better information on energy efficiency, capacity building, research and development, price signals, and financial incentives.
The Task Group’s energy efficiency recommendations will complement the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and Renewable Energy Target in line with the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) Complimentary Principles. The detailed Terms of Reference are available at http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/submissions/pm-task-group/terms-reference.aspx.
The Task Group comprises:
  • Mr Martin Parkinson – Secretary of the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (Chair); and
  • Deputy Secretaries from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Treasury and the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.
The Task Group will report to the Senator the Hon. Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change, Water and Energy Efficiency and the Hon. Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and Energy.
The Task Group has released an issues paper (available at http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/submissions/pm-task-group/~/media/submissions/pm-taskforce/PMstaskgroupenergyefficiencypdf.ashx), and is seeking submissions from the community. The closing date for submissions is Monday 3 May 2010.

Further information is available at http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/submissions/pm-task-group.aspx.