House debates Questions without Notice
Climate Change
Paul Neville Hinkler, National Party
2:26 pm
My question is addressed to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Would the minister update the House on the support delivered to clean coal technology under the Australian government’s Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund?
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
I thank the member for Hinkler for his question and for his strong support of the coal industry in Central Queensland—and his support of the electricity industry, the alumina industry, the aluminium industry and all those other industries that he looks after in his electorate so well. Since the Prime Minister’s announcement in June 2004, the Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund has been a cornerstone of the Howard government’s climate change strategy. The Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund has delivered to date some $310 million to five cutting-edge low-emission projects, including of course some $175 million already put on the table for low-emission coal technologies.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
I have only just started; I have plenty more to come. For example, $50 million has been made available to International Power’s clean coal project at the Hazelwood power station in Victoria. That project is worth some $360 million. Some $50 million has been made available for CS Energy up in Central Queensland, a project worth some $188 million. Also, $75 million has been made available to Fairview’s coal seam methane project, which is worth some $445 million in western Queensland—
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
I can hear the member for Maranoa saying, ‘Hear, hear!’ Of course, he looks after his resource and coal industries very well. Taken together, these three coal projects are worth about $1 billion. They are working to develop low-emission coal technologies. There are more announcements to come from the LETDF. I know that the other side do not understand how you do business and how business principles apply, but you have to work through business cases to ensure that taxpayers’ money is going to be well spent in developing these technologies.
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Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
I am trying to get through the answer, but I can take as long as they would like me to.
Kelvin Thomson Wills, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
There is a standing order, isn’t there?
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
This government is always open to supporting viable low-emission projects that advance clean coal technology. For example, we have been in close contact with my home state and its government about ZeroGen, which is a low-emission coal-fired electricity generating project. After a couple of meetings in particular—although I have been talking to them for about two years now and so has my department—
Jenny Macklin Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Community Services
And they are still waiting.
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
I cannot hear myself think.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Bernie Ripoll Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation
You are half right.
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
I think all the time, unlike those people, who think that you have to make business decisions quickly. I like to think them through. I will keep going and hope that they hear me. After requesting the detailed submission from the Queensland government owned corporations, the submission has been made by ZeroGen. It is three inches thick. The department received it about a week ago and is currently going through it. On the basis of that, the department will prepare a detailed analysis of that proposal.
I know that those who sit opposite like to make quick decisions and that they do not understand how business works, but without discipline—which you need for effective policy development—Labor use a short cut: they just copy this government’s policies and put them out as their own. Yesterday they announced a carbon copy of our Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund.
Lindsay Tanner Melbourne, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance
Mr Tanner interjecting
Ian Macfarlane Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources
The Leader of the Opposition may think that reannouncing Howard government policy will score him points with the voters, but his environment spokesman has already let the cat out of the bag on coalmining. He has already said that automatic expansion of the coal industry is a thing of the past. The Leader of the Opposition’s sudden support for the coal industry will not fool the coalminers and it will not stop them worrying about their jobs under a future Labor government.