Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Hansard source

I strongly praise the member for Kennedy not just for his support for aka daka but for his support for a strong mining and processing industry and energy sector in North Queensland. Of course, that's important not just to North Queensland but to all of Australia.

Now, as the Treasurer said, last year we committed $4.7 million to a feasibility study on CopperString. It's an important project, because it offers the potential to link Mount Isa into the National Electricity Market to provide more affordable and reliable energy electricity for Mount Isa and the important industry that takes place in Mount Isa. It also offers opportunity to provide competitive energy for projects along that corridor all the way from Mount Isa through to Hughenden and Townsville. That $4.7 million is there for preparatory work and environmental impact assessment and so on in the feasibility stages.

Can I also draw the member's attention to our commitment recently to a new billion dollar Grid Reliability Fund to be administered by the CEFC, as you mentioned in your question. That billion dollar Grid Reliability Fund is very focused on transmission projects that are making energy more affordable, more secure and more reliable for places like Mount Isa. I strongly encourage you and the proponents of the projects to continue your discussions with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

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