QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:43): I suppose there are a number of responses, Senator Roberts. The first is that coal-fired power stations fail when there is a breakdown or planned maintenance. Now, planned maintenance is a good thing because you're improving the capability of the asset.

When an asset like that has gone on for so long that it can't continue to function reliably— Senator Canavan: Thanks for your TED talk. Senator AYRES: Old 'Koala Canavan' over here! The PRESIDENT: Senator Ayres, withdraw that remark.

Senator AYRES: I withdraw. But that is the problem. So we are moving to modernise the electricity system, to deliver the lowest cost and most reliable approach—the Australian approach—and we won't be deterred by imported ideas about political means and weird ideologies about the future of our electricity system.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Ayres. Senator Roberts, second supplementary?