11. Question No. 11—Climate ChangeSCOTT WILLIS (Green) to the Minister of Climate ChangeQuestion No. 11—Climate Change11. SCOTT WILLIS (Green) to the Minister of Climate Change: How exactly does the Government plan to meet its pledge at the COP28 Climate Change Conference to triple renewable energy generation and double renewable energy efficiency by 2030?Hon SIMON WATTS (Minister of Climate Change): At COP28 New Zealand signed a commitment with 132 other countries to triple the world's renewable energy generation and double energy efficiency by 2030. This is a global pledge and recognises that some countries are starting from different places than others. New Zealand plans to play our part including our commitment to double our renewable energy.Scott Willis: Why is this Government blaming the consenting framework for holding back renewable electricity generation when there are approximately 2000 megawatts of unbuilt but consented wind and solar?Hon SIMON WATTS: What is clear is that this country does need to significantly increase the amount of renewable energy available in this country and one of the major barriers in order to increase that investment is through regulation and this Government has recognised that and is implementing legislation to reduce that regulatory burden.Scott Willis: What steps if any has the Minister taken to remove the regulatory barriers to independent and social retailers entering the electricity market and competing on a level playing field as recommended by the energy hardship panel?Hon SIMON WATTS: Those aspects as described by the member are not within my ministerial delegation; however what I am committed to do in working with my Cabinet colleagues is to ensure that we do deliver upon our coalition commitments to double renewable energy by 2050.Ricardo Menéndez March: Point of order. I'd just like to test Speakers' ruling 171/5—that if a Government transfers a question which was the case with this one the Minister should be in a position to answer supplementary questions which flow from the primary and we had the Minister basically say that it is not within his purview to answer what my colleague Scott Willis said. So I just wanted to test that Speakers' ruling and whether his answer actually met the standards we would expect when transferring a question.SPEAKER: I would refer you to further parts to the Standing Orders. The reality is that the Standing Order you referred to relates to primary questions; it's not possible for a Government to anticipate where supplementary questions may go to. Please don't quote Standing Orders to me; that wouldn't be a good thing.Ricardo Menéndez March: It does say Ministers should be in a position to answer supplementary questions."SPEAKER: That's right but the Government cannot anticipate how far or how broad those supplementary questions might go. Are there any further supplementaries?Scott Willis: Does the Minister agree with the Rewiring Aotearoa report that home energy efficiency full electrification and solar is a key part of the solution to reducing emissions and if so does he support loans and grants to enable greater uptake?Hon SIMON WATTS: What is clear and what this coalition Government is committed to is to increase significantly the amount of renewable energy in this country and the reality of what that will deliver for New Zealanders is the electrification of transport and other aspects of businesses in their communities and that will ensure that we meet our climate targets that we are committed to delivering.Scott Willis: Will the Community Renewable Energy Fund be extended beyond July 2027 and expanded; if not why not?Hon SIMON WATTS: That's not within my ministerial delegation.Hon Dr Megan Woods: Has his colleague the Minister for Energy shared advice with him prepared by his officials on 10 November that consenting policies won't be sufficient to deliver on climate targets as they by themselves do not decrease emissions and that there will also need to be policies that prompt demand shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy and that demand-side policies will be key for meeting the next couple of emissions budgets especially if the Government stops the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry (GIDI) funding?Hon SIMON WATTS: I was not the Minister on 10 November.Scott Willis: What advice if any has the Minister received regarding the fast-track consent process leading to the development of more mines for more renewable energy projects on balance?Hon SIMON WATTS: The role that I participate in as part of that broader programme of reform is as part of the ministerial oversight in regards to Resource Management Act reform. What is very clear is that we need to deal with both the challenges we have around energy security today but also prepare for a future of energy security in the future and doubling renewable energy will ensure that we are prepared for the energy security requirements in the future.Hon Nicola Willis: Can the Minister confirm that the acronym GIDI refers to a fund that took emissions revenue off everyday working New Zealanders and used it to pay large subsidies to profitable corporates including many offshore businesses?Hon SIMON WATTS: I can indeed confirm to the member that that was the outcome of that policy and as a result of that this Government has clearly signalled that we will not continue untargeted spending in regards to what was previously done by the last Government. We are focused on doubling renewable energy and implementing realistic projects at pace to meet our climate targets."