WHAT THEY SAID AFTER THE COAG MEETING:
ON ENERGY POLICY
State leaders went into Friday's meeting unanimously calling for a national energy plan, before receiving an interim report on the national energy market from Chief Scientist Alan Finkel.
JAY WEATHERILL (SA): said it was disappointing the prime minister had ruled out an emissions intensity scheme, given the report describes it as the most cost-effective option for merging emissions and energy policy. "This is complex public policy, it's easy to scare people, but fundamentally I believe in the intelligence of the Australian community to actually grapple with these complex public policy issues."
COLIN BARNETT (WA): said he was a "lone voice", believing there was too much attention on market schemes. "The situation on the east coast would be a lot better with a few simple fundamental reforms rather than exotic and eloquent market solutions."
WILL HODGMAN (Tas): wants the federal government to invest in a second interconnector across the Bass Strait so Tasmania can become the renewable battery for the nation, given 90 per cent of its energy is renewable.
ON COMPETITION REFORM
DANIEL ANDREWS (Vic): says he won't sign on because the federal government hasn't honoured past agreements. "I'm not minded to sign up to any new agreements until the current ones are honoured in full."
ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
ANDREWS was disappointed a decision on a nationwide standard for paid domestic violence leave was put off until next year. "We need to do more than talk about family violence leave. We need to deliver it in full."
ANNASTACIA PALASZCUK (Qld) said it was a missed opportunity.
ON HEALTH FUNDING
MIKE BAIRD (NSW): supported a decision to agree on long-term hospital funding arrangements. "It will take a lot of work but the commitment to have that done by 2018 is a very significant step."
ON THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN
WEATHERILL welcomed the prime minister stepping in on the issue following "disappointing" remarks from his deputy Barnaby Joyce. "We now have an agreement to produce a series of projects which will deliver essentially the nature of the agreement."
ON INFRASTRUCTURE
BAIRD said recent economic growth figures were sobering and an infrastructure plan was the best thing to do to drive economic growth.
ANDREWS and PALASZCZUK agreed a long-term infrastructure plan was needed to create jobs. "We talk about jobs and growth. Well, the best way to get people into work is actually have an infrastructure plan," Palaszczuk said.
