Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Van, for the question. I am aware that Senator Van is a supporter of the increased rollout of electric vehicles, which is also something the Albanese government has worked hard to increase. We know that, fortunately, we now do have a government that believes in electric vehicles, unlike what we saw for 10 years. It turns out that electric vehicles do not end the weekend—who would have thought?—just as we never had $100 lamb roast or a number of the other scare campaigns that we saw for 10 years. We've moved beyond that, and we are now seeing electric vehicles roll out.

But Senator Van's question is a serious one. We obviously do take seriously any matter to do with national security, whether it is arising from these matters or anything else. Senator Van, you'd be aware that Australia has now passed significant reforms that will give Australians more choice around cleaner and cheaper cars. We're focused on giving Australians more choice. We will take advice from our security agencies on the matters that you've raised and we will follow that advice.

I have seen some claims recently by such eminent thought leaders on climate change as Mr Barnaby Joyce on these matters. He seems to be worried about imported batteries. The problem for the coalition is that, when we put forward the Future Made in Australia package, which included $500 million to develop a battery manufacturing industry here in Australia, they voted against that as well. They don't like imported batteries. They don't like homegrown batteries. They just don't really like batteries. And they certainly don't like a future and they don't like it being made in Australia. They just don't like anything. I don't really know what they like. They don't want batteries, they don't want electric cars, they don't want climate change—they don't want change. They just don't want a lot of things.

Senator Van, I know you are not in that category anymore, and we're happy to work with you further on these issues. (Time expired)