Senate debates Questions without Notice
Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Lisa Singh Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General
2:48 pm
My question is to the Minister for Finance, Senator Cormann. Does abolishing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation remain government policy, and will the savings continue to be reflected in the budget?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance
The budget will be delivered on the second Tuesday in May.
Lisa Singh Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General
Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I ask the minister to answer the first part of my question, which was: 'Does the Clean Energy Finance Corporation's abolition remain government policy?'
Stephen Parry President
Senator Singh, there is no point of order. The minister has answered the question and I cannot direct him to answer any further.
Lisa Singh Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General
2:49 pm
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Does abolishing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation remain government policy?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance
I believe I answered a similar question in the primary question. Obviously the budget will be delivered on the second Tuesday in May. Until such time, all of the policy positions and policy decisions of the government are reflected in the current budget.
Lisa Singh Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Attorney General
2:50 pm
Mr President, I ask a final supplementary question. I refer to the recent Ernst & Young country attractiveness index, which shows that under this government Australia has dropped from fourth most attractive place to invest in renewable energy to 13th place. How much further will we fall as an attractive investment destination if the Turnbull government succeeds in abolishing the Clean Energy Finance Corporation?
Mathias Cormann WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance
That is of course a hypothetical question, and I do not accept the premise of the question. The second point I would make is that the worst thing that could happen to the attractiveness of Australia as an investment destination across the board would be the return of a Labor government, which of course would bring back Labor's disastrous carbon tax, which would cost jobs, cost investment and have a very negative impact on economic growth across Australia.