Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Cormann is not a stupid man, so he would recall that on a number of occasions he has asked me about generator X or generator Y and I have said that it would not be appropriate for a minister, in relation to a policy area where there is a package before the Senate, to get into details of individual recipients of assistance. What is appropriate is for me to outline, as I have done, the basis on which assistance is provided, the basis on which assistance is disbursed between different players in the sector and the policy rationale for that. I have done so and I will continue to do that. But, as I explained to him when he asked the first question, I do not think it is sensible, helpful or appropriate, frankly, for ministers to say company X will get this amount of money.

We have before the chamber a package which includes three components of assistance in relation to energy security. I have gone through those. I have explained to you why $5.5 billion is allocated on the emissions intensity basis and other bases and the reason for that, which is energy security. I have explained to you the additional assistance in terms of the provision of loans. That is referenced at paragraph 6.193. I am happy to read that onto the record for him if he would like, but it is in the explanatory memorandum. I have explained that in addition there is a backstop mechanism whereby the Energy Security Council can recommend additional measures if required for energy security. I reference my previous answers, because I have gone through the policy rationale for why emissions intensity has been used as the basis on which the $5.5 billion is to be disbursed amongst—