Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

With regard to the annual work plan, it's the government's view that the Net Zero Economy Authority Bill already has a requirement to publish and table the corporate plan in this parliament every year. That's a requirement related to the authority that sits under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and is the appropriate way in which to outline the work of the authority in this place.

With regard to a budget, the government does not support that proposal. We think the normal practice of government agencies to be funded through an annual appropriation bill is the appropriate way to resource this authority. It ensures appropriate parliamentary scrutiny and appropriate scrutiny at Senate estimates hearings, which are happening in the other place right now.

With regard to some of the examples that have been raised around the appropriations given for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, I think it's worth noting that that's only for the money they invest, not for their operational funding. With regard to operational funding, the budget that has just been delivered by the Treasurer provides $265.9 million over the forwards to ensure the operation of this authority.

With regard to some of the other matters that the member has just raised, I refer to clause 16(1)(b), which talks about the facilitation of public and private sector participation and some of those coordination matters that cut across the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, the Regional Investment Corporation, the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation, the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, and Housing Australia, which will do a lot of the work that the member has just outlined she is keen to see done—as am I—in a way that is with and for regional communities across this country, not to them. That is definitely the government's intent, and I think this bill delivers on that.

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