2016-02-09
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to Mr Jennings, representing the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water. There has been a slightly over-pumped press release from the Ignite advanced lignite demonstration program suggesting it has received $20 million from the government for its polluting coal-to-diesel plant, but the minister in the lower house has said that that is not the case. The minister says further milestones are yet to be achieved. One of the milestones that the company says it has to achieve is in fact Environment Protection Authority Victoria approval before it can go out and emit 10 000 tonnes of CO2 every year. However, it could be that a bigger assessment of the proposal is required — for example, an environment impact assessment, which would be the responsibility of Mr Dalidakis's minister, Mr Wynne. Since the government has refused in the past to provide information on these milestones to the house when requested by motion, can the minister please tell me what milestone it is this company needs to meet in order to receive its funds?
Mr JENNINGS (Special Minister of State) — President, let me start by giving Mr Barber some encouragement by indicating to you that I think a press release is not in itself one of those milestones. So let us start from there. Beyond that, in terms of the due diligence and responsibility that my colleague the Minister for Energy and Resources may be bringing to this and my other colleagues who may be making assessments about the validity of these projects and the environmental consequences of them, I am going to have to take advice on that. But this is a variant of an attempt to obtain this information, and now there is an expectation of me to follow this up with my colleagues and get a response.
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — As I mentioned in my substantive question, and as the minister referred to, this house has previously sought documents that detail the actual milestones that are required before this money will flow, yet the house has been kept in the dark about that. The company is out there announcing via press release what its milestones are and what it needs to do in order to achieve further funding. So in addition to finding out what environmental assessment these various ministers may between them decide is necessary, will the minister also provide to the house some information about the actual milestones contained in the funding agreements — although he was not prepared to table those funding agreements in the house?
Mr JENNINGS (Special Minister of State) — In fact I had not actually tried to split hairs in relation to what information I was going to seek from my colleagues, so I did not intend to. I will not. I will see what is in the scope of what they can provide us.
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