House debates Questions without Notice
Low-Carbon Liquid Fuels
Chris Bowen McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy
2:42 pm
If I heard the honourable member correctly, he asked how much has been spent on green hydrogen. I just wanted to make sure. There are a number of government programs which are relevant, some of which were announced by the previous government and some of which have been announced by us. Some of the hydrogen hubs that were announced by the previous government have not proceeded. I'm happy to get the honourable member further details on that.
Importantly, the government's policy for a green hydrogen production tax credit and the Hydrogen Headstart policy are paid only on production. That was an important part of the design of the policy. If green hydrogen is not being produced, there's no money being paid for it. The other expenditure that the honourable member might be referring to is the support for Fortescue's green hydrogen manufacturing plant in Gladstone, which was run under the industry department and was initiated under the previous government, in which the honourable member was Deputy Prime Minister.
Given the honourable member asked me about green hydrogen, it is relevant to say that I still have the view that green hydrogen has a role to play in industrial decarbonisation in the future. It's taken longer than was predicted just a few years ago. The opposition criticised me for saying that it could provide $50 billion in additional GDP by 2050. The member for Wannon has criticised me for that. I do want to give credit where it's due, though. I stand on the shoulders of giants, because my predecessor as minister for energy, the member for Hume said on one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight occasions that hydrogen would be responsible for $50 billion of additional GDP by 2050—
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