Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister and follows that excellent speech by the member for Hunter as members were walking into the House. Will the Prime Minister support Labor’s amendments to the Petroleum Retail Legislation Repeal Bill 2006 being debated today—amendments which implement parts of Labor’s fuels blueprint, including the promotion of greater oil and gas exploration in Australia—by re-examining the depreciation regime for gas production infrastructure, by allowing the selective use of flow-through share schemes for smaller operators, by promoting the use of alternative-fuel vehicles by cutting their tariffs, by granting tax rebates for converting petrol cars to LPG and by implementing Labor’s green-car challenge to get competitive value-for-money green cars on the roads?

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will come to his question.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Further, will the Prime Minister protect and promote the growth of ethanol, biodiesel, LPG and CNG through a review of the 2009 date of the government’s plans to apply an excise to those fuels, which will determine whether a deferral or application of the exercise is required? Finally, will the Prime Minister support our position of strengthening the ACCC’s powers to investigate petrol prices by removing the requirement that they cannot do so without the Treasurer’s consent? Does the Prime Minister still maintain that nothing can be done about these crippling fuel prices?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have very carefully studied the amendments that have been put forward by the opposition. I read them, in fact, before I came into the House. After very thoughtful consideration, the government has decided, at this time, not to accept them.