Debate resumed from 14 August, on motion by Mr Ian Macfarlane:

That this bill be now read a second time.

upon which Mr Martin Ferguson moved by way of amendment:

That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words: “whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1)

calls on the Government to require the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources to report to the Parliament annually, commencing in August 2007, on the measures taken and the progress made to:

(a)

increase market penetration of ethanol and biodiesel, LPG and CNG, including the number and location of service stations and the names of the companies offering these products on their retail sites;

(b)

secure new investment in biofuel, LPG and CNG production and supply infrastructure in Australia; and

(c)

secure investment in new alternative transport fuel industries in Australia, including gas and coal to liquids;

(2)

calls on the Government to review, in 2009, the proposal to introduce excise on ethanol and biodiesel, LPG and CNG in 2011, and consider whether or not there is a case for delaying the introduction of excise, depending on the progress made:

(a)

in increasing market penetration of biofuels, LPG and CNG;

(b)

in securing new investment in biofuel, LPG and CNG production and supply infrastructure in Australia; and

(c)

towards achieving the 350 million litre biofuels target in 2010.

(3)

criticises the Government for:

(a)

its tardiness in moving on petrol retail reform;

(b)

bypassing due parliamentary process in introducing a regulation to “undeclare” companies under the Sites Act;

(c)

failing to introduce amendments to the TPA to implement the 2003 Dawson and 2004 Senate recommendations for reform; and

(d)

failing to act to reduce Australia’s dependence on foreign oil and improve its transport fuel security;

(4)

calls on the Government to immediately conduct a feasibility study into a gas to liquids fuels plant in Australia, including:

(a)

consideration of Petroleum Resources Rent tax incentives for developers of gas fields which provide resources for gas to liquid fuels projects;

(b)

examining a new infrastructure investment allowance for investment in Australian gas to liquids infrastructure; and

(c)

developing a targeted funding scheme for research and development in this area;

(5)

calls on the Government to immediately embrace Labor’s Fuels Blueprint proposal to:

(a)

make alternative fuel vehicles tariff free, cutting up to $2000 off the price of current hybrid cars; and

(b)

grant tax rebates for converting petrol cars to LPG; and

(6)

calls on the Government to immediately embrace Labor’s Fuels Blueprint to find more oil and use more gas by:

(a)

re-examining the depreciation regime for gas production infrastructure; and

(b)

allowing the selective use of flow-through share schemes for smaller operators”.

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