House debates Questions without Notice
Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Jennie George Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Heritage
2:22 pm
My question is to the Special Minister of State. I refer the minister to his written response to my recent inquiry about having all Commonwealth vehicles powered by LPG. In his letter, the minister stated to me:
LPG does not meet certain operational requirements of users, nor is the supply of LPG readily available in all rural and regional areas.
Doesn’t the minister’s letter completely contradict the Prime Minister’s claim that LPG is readily available in rural and regional areas?
Gary Nairn Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State
I thank the member for Throsby. I do recall the letter that I wrote to her on the advice provided by the department with respect to the circumstances that they investigated following the receipt of her letter. I think this area is in fact an area that is changing quite quickly.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Albanese interjecting
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Gary Nairn Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State
I did not actually write that letter yesterday, I might tell the opposition.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Albanese interjecting
Gary Nairn Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State
It is quite true that I said that LPG is not available in all rural and regional areas. It is available in about 3,000 service stations across Australia, but not in all rural and regional areas, and that is what my letter said. The policy at the time was that we did not need to look at every single change. As I said, I think things are changing quite dramatically. We are certainly encouraging a greater use of LPG. In fact, the announcements yesterday will make a huge difference ultimately in that availability of LPG, which will change the situation quite dramatically. It is a bit like ethanol, which is changing dramatically.
I do not know whether the member for Throsby has ever used ethanol in her car. I certainly use ethanol in mine. I filled up at an independent service station in Queanbeyan, the first service station in this region to provide E10. Take your cars down to Brett in Queanbeyan and get some E10, as I have been doing. The whole range is changing and this whole area will change a lot more in the weeks and months and years to come.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Government Members:
Government members interjecting—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I think you have just made the point by having to draw members of the government to order. Why is it the case that I am the only person in this House who has been warned up till now in spite of the fact that there have been a number of interjections made?
David Hawker Speaker
The member for Grayndler is well aware that questions to the Speaker come at the end of question time.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Member:
Opposition member interjecting—