Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

Gas has been a crucial transition fuel that has enabled Australia to drive down our emissions. Indeed, it's been a key factor in what's enabled the United States to drive down their emissions as well. So gas continues to play a critical role in that energy generation sector in driving down emissions as a share of the energy generated but it is also critically an important component for manufacturing sectors as well. Manufacturing industries also need gas as an input. So, when we talk about gas as an input into the Australian economy, it's not just for energy generation purposes; it's recognising that if you want a manufacturing industry in this country, if you want high employment levels in this country, then, indeed, you need to make sure that all of the energy resources they need that are not just electricity generation are supplied for them in that regard. So generating gas is an important part of that. Of course it is sitting alongside our technology road map and all of the other instruments that are designed to ensure Australia is meeting and exceeding our emissions reductions targets. (Time expired)