Nicolette Boele MP:

From COVID to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and yet another war in the Middle East, rolling geopolitical crises continuously threaten global fuel supplies here at home. The Fuel Tax Credit scheme is our $11 billion per annum federal subsidy of diesel fuels. Our addiction to dirty, expensive and unreliable liquid fuels persists.

Why does the government insist on jeopardising our national energy security by keeping miners, farmers and motorists hooked on taxpayer-funded, artificially cheap and unreliable diesel?

Speaker:

Give the call to the Honourable Minister for Climate Change and Energy.

The Honourable Minister for Climate Change and Energy:

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and I thank the honourable member for her question.

Can I say that in this environment the government’s first priority, and the first obligation in government, is to ensure fuel security for the traditional liquid fuels that we all rely on.

The honourable member is nodding, and I think we would all agree on that. And that is what we’re doing. I’ve outlined — and I may have other opportunities over the next hour to outline — everything we’re doing and will continue to do.

Mr Speaker, the honourable member also points to the fact that moving to more renewable energy makes us less reliant on the fossil fuel supply chain internationally. And that is correct.

That is why we’re doing things like the $1.1 billion fund to see more Australian manufacturing of low-carbon liquid fuels, for example. That is our policy.

I saw the member for Mallee the other day say, “We’ve got so much canola — why are we sending it overseas? We should process more of that in Australia.” What a good idea, Mr Speaker. What a good idea.

And that is what our policy does. That is what we announced — the $1.1 billion fund to do just that, because it’s good for Australian farmers, it’s good for the environment, and it’s good for everyone.

It didn’t happen under the previous government, and we have begun the process of it happening. The Treasurer, the Minister for Transport and I have begun that process.

Now, Mr Speaker, in relation also to fossil fuels and the energy system: for example, I’m pleased with the fact that during the energy crisis around Ukraine, in that summer we used in our energy grid 2.7 terawatt hours of gas. The equivalent figure for this summer is 1.5 terawatt hours of gas.

That is good for emissions, of course, but it also means we are less reliant on those impacts. The international gas price will still have an impact on Australia, no doubt, but a little bit less.

So, Mr Speaker, our policy in relation to the diesel fuel rebate hasn’t changed. It does provide support for farmers in particular in relation to their farm operations.

But what we will do is continue with the sorts of policies we are implementing, like the $1.1 billion Cleaner Fuel Fund and the transition of our energy system to more renewables, which is the cheapest form of energy and not dependent on global supply chains.

Vladimir Putin cannot interrupt the supply of sun to Australia, and the international circumstance in the Middle East cannot interrupt the flow of wind in Australia.

So that is our reliable form of energy. We on this side of the House get it. I think many in the crossbench get it. Those opposite, less so.