Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Patrick, for the question. The Morrison government is committed to enabling consumer choice when it comes to new vehicle and fuel technologies. This follows its 'technology not taxes' approach to reducing emissions.

To directly answer your question, we are developing a future fuels strategy that considers all new technologies. This is not only for EVs. This includes hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, hybrids and biofuels. We've been working to ensure that the strategy is well-informed. To ensure industry has been widely consulted, we will release a discussion paper in the very near future that will help inform the strategy.

And we've already put our money where our mouth is with our $74.5 million Future Fuels Package as part of the budget. This backs funding already committed through ARENA and CEFC, including $21 million for two EV-charging networks and $11.7 million for focusing on smart charging and tools to make it easier for motorists and businesses to purchase new technology vehicles. This includes projects like $838,000 for Origin Energy to install 150 smart chargers at homes and workplaces across the National Electricity Market. And $3.5 million has gone to JET Charge to develop smart-charging technology that will help make charging more user-friendly, and will better integrate EVs into the electricity grid.