Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I won't accept the words that the senator tries to put in my mouth about what I said yesterday. What I said yesterday is on the Hansard record, and it should all be read entirely in context. What I said yesterday very clearly was that the government is funding a feasibility study, business cases, into two projects—$10 million, as we promised at the election, nothing more, nothing less. Are we currently funding a coal-fired power station? No, we're not. That's a statement of fact. We are funding precisely what we promised. This is about making sure that, when it comes to reliability and affordability of energy to be able to support industry in areas of Queensland, our government is willing to make sure that industry has the energy that it needs—and is working through the process to make sure that investors have the information they need—to make informed decisions to support those jobs in Queensland. I'm surprised that a Queensland senator would be raising such concerns about jobs in Queensland.