Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question—

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

He's here! Here we go!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Watt, I have had to equally call you to order.

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator McAllister. The Albanese government has lent to $100 million to Ampol for 200 battery-charging stations to expand electric vehicle fast-charging infrastructure nationwide. If, as Senator Wong claims, renewables are cheaper, why is it necessary for the Albanese government to give taxpayer funds to a company that recently reported a half-year profit of $235 million in order to subsidise electric vehicle charging stations?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Nearly one in 10 new cars purchased is now an EV, and that's up from just two per cent under the former coalition government. The thing is that those consumers are making a choice, and the choice that they are making requires them to have access to charging facilities. Under this government, we think that's important because we know that when you purchase an EV there are substantial savings available to you on fuel. And it's why, under this government, the number of EV charging locations has nearly doubled in 16 months to around 900 as of March 2024. We've also seen a 131 per cent increase in ultrafast charging locations.

We want to make sure that existing industries, businesses and stations are part of that transition. We announced in August, as your question points out, that CEFC capital will be available to finance a range of clean energy technology measures at Ampol service stations across the country, and that is to accelerate the decarbonisation of its operations, to kickstart its biofuel development and to drive down national transport emissions. The thing that you need to understand, Senator Rennick, is that all of these CEFC investments are made with the expectation of a positive, risk based financial return.

It's a program that has actually been running for more than a decade. It's a legacy, in fact, of the last Labor government. It's been very successful and it's an important institution that has been able to leverage significant new capability and capacity in the Australian economy. It's a good application of the power of government. I am surprised that, for someone who's interested in how the economy develops, it's not of more interest to you. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rennick, first supplementary?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How many tonnes of electric vehicle lithium battery waste does the Albanese government forecast Australia to produce in the next decade? Where will it be recycled? What will the cost of that recycling be?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, we're in a period—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister McAllister, please resume your seat. Senators, if you can't listen in silence, I invite you to leave the chamber. Minister McAllister, please continue.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are in a period of very significant technological change across a range of fronts, and this is one of them. The National Electric Vehicle Strategy is this government's response to that. It's a pathway to cut our transport emissions, but it also has three objectives which are relevant to the question that you ask. The first is to increase the supply of affordable and accessible EVs, the second is to increase the resources, systems and infrastructure to enable rapid electric vehicle uptake and the third is to encourage increased EV demand. Part of that is thinking about waste.

I encourage you to go and take a look at the strategy, have a look at the appraisal and have a look at the measures that are being proposed and set out in that strategy.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hughes, this is not your question! I have previously asked the minister to resume her seat. I invited people who could not listen in silence to leave the chamber. That applies to you. Senator Rennick, second supplementary?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The former head of the CSIRO Larry Marshall said it cost three times more to recycle an EV lithium battery than the cost of the materials to make it. If this is true, how will the Albanese government ensure that EV batteries can be renewed and recycled cost-effectively and not end up as environmental waste?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I indicated in my answer to your first supplementary question, this is an issue that is being considered as part of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy. It's also the case, more broadly, that lithium batteries are an increasing feature of our economy. It's not just electric vehicles where lithium batteries are used; they're used in a whole range of products. There are a range of things that we do need to do as a community to make sure that the technology is being used safely.

There is some work being undertaken to ensure that we've got appropriate arrangements to make sure that if there are incidents of any kind relating to lithium batteries that our first responders are well equipped to deal with it. There are standards being developed through the Building Codes Board. There are a range of things that need to occur to make sure that this technology can be safely and appropriately integrated into the Australian economy.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.