Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Special Minister of State and follows the answer he provided to the member for Throsby. Minister, didn’t your July LPG letter also say ‘the use of LPG fuel in all Australian government vehicles would be inconsistent with the government’s recent support for ethanol blended fuels’ and that the use of LPG is ‘contrary to existing industry development initiatives’? Minister, isn’t this just another example of divisions within the government—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on my right.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Martin is trying not to laugh, Joel.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Flinders is warned!

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, isn’t this yet another example of divisions opening up within the government, with your own letter completely contradicting the centrepiece of the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday?

Gary Nairn (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hunter. No, not at all. It is simply an example of how policy develops. There is nothing wrong with that. Changes have taken place in a whole variety of areas as we have undergone reform and development—particularly in the energy area, which has changed dramatically in the last few years. Certainly, the comments in my letter supported the policies that had been put in place by the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, but the whole world of energy has changed dramatically—

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since July?

Gary Nairn (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Even since July it has changed—absolutely—and we will continue to develop policy further.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Revenue) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the July letter from the Special Minister of State to the member for Throsby—a very good letter.

Leave granted.