Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The proponents of the Collinsville coal power plant have said it will require a taxpayer indemnity from carbon risk, which the Australian Industry Group says could cost taxpayers $17 billion. Will the Prime Minister provide that indemnity?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our government believes in jobs. We believe in jobs in North Queensland, we believe in jobs in northern Tasmania, we believe in jobs in Western Australia. Right across the country, we believe in jobs and we believe in ensuring that manufacturing continues to be able to get access to the reliable power it needs to ensure that it can support jobs and livelihoods into the future. So, before the last election, our government committed to undertake to look at what the reliable power generation options were to support heavy industry in North Queensland. That review then led to the series of options that were put before the government, for which the government has agreed to support undertaking feasibility studies to assess those options and how they can support jobs in North Queensland.

We are technology agnostic when it comes to ensuring we have reliable power generation in this country. We want to ensure that electricity prices come down, not go up. We want to ensure the lights stay on, not go off. We want to ensure that industries, whether they be in North Queensland or anywhere else, that provide the livelihoods for Australians continue to be maintained. We will assess the options that support those jobs. The simple question I have for those opposite—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On direct relevance. The question goes specifically to the indemnity and the taxpayer funded indemnity. It is in two parts. Both only go to that point, and that's the one point the Prime Minister hasn't touched.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do have to say that I agree with that, and the Prime Minister's had more than a preamble. The question was very specific indeed and, whilst the Prime Minister is entitled to talk generally at the start of his answer, he needs to either come to that question—but he certainly can't have a question for the opposition. The member for Dawson on a point of order.

George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is that the question is purely hypothetical. There is no carbon price, unless they're proposing to bring in a new tax.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Dawson, but the question is in order. If he thought it wasn't in order, the time to raise it was when it was asked, not when it's been half answered. The Prime Minister has the call.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The feasibility study I am talking about was for the Collinsville project, which is what I assume the questioner was referring to and the matter that he raised with me.

An opposition member interjecting—

I know where Collinsville is; you mightn't. I also know where the jobs are in Collinsville. They're the jobs you want to take away, Leader of the Opposition. That's what the Leader of the Opposition—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, just a—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I was simply responding to the interjection and I will cease doing that. We have committed to the feasibility study on the Collinsville project. We have not considered anything beyond the feasibility study.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister—

Mr Burke interjecting—

I am not going to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business. As I've said, the Prime Minister, for more than two minutes now, has addressed the general topic of that, but the question was very specific about an indemnity and whether the government would provide that indemnity. The Prime Minister—

An honourable member interjecting—

Sorry? I've actually got a copy of the question because we take notes. It was a very specific question. The Prime Minister's entitled to have a preamble. He's gone well beyond the normal preamble. He needs to address himself to the specific part of the question or wind his answer up.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I was seeking to do was to say that the feasibility study of the Collinsville project is what the government has committed to undertake. The matter that the member has raised with me, in this question, is not currently before the government. It's not currently before the government. It's not before us. What I know is our government will always stand up for jobs. The Leader of the Opposition wants to have it each way on every bet, and when it comes to the resources industry in North Queensland and the jobs of North Queensland, he's nowhere to be found.

Mr Burke interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. Manager of Opposition Business, I'm about to go to the next question.