Press conference, Smart Energy Conference, Sydney

JOHN GRIMES: Well, we're absolutely delighted today at the Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition to have Federal Minister Chris Bowen with us. This show is about splashing cost of living for ordinary Australians. Tearing up your power bill with solar and batteries. Tearing up your gas bill as you electrify your home and reduce your emissions. And, tearing up your petrol bill. Because the petrol bill is a big impost on Australian families. By transitioning to electric vehicles, low-emission vehicles, you actually save money, even if it's not an electric car. And of course, if it is an electric car, even better.

Minister, welcome. We're delighted to have you here today. The Smart Energy Council absolutely backs in the Government's work to put in place new vehicle efficiency standards. This is massively and long overdue and we are delighted that your Government, the Albanese Government, is taking decisive action on this issue. We back you in, congratulations.

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, thank you very much, John. It's great to be here with you at your great exhibition and conference. This is a very important part of our calendar where your members come together to show people who are coming what savings are available that can reduce, as you said, reduce their bills and reduce their emissions all at the same time. And, much Australian innovation, much Australian manufacturing and know how here, as well as with international partners. So, congratulations again on another great conference and exhibition.

Today, of course, I'm reminding Australians that the Liberal Party tried to introduce Vehicle Efficiency Standards in 2015 and 16 and 17 and failed. Failed not because of a lack of parliamentary support, because the Labor Party supported them - rather failed because their own climate-denying, right wing vetoed action. And today, new figures I'm releasing remind us that if the Coalition had had the courage of their convictions, if Paul Fletcher and Josh Frydenberg and others had stuck to their policy guns and implemented a policy they knew was right, Australians would have saved $4 billion at the bowser between then and now.

$4 billion that could have stayed in the pockets of Australians and not go into the pockets of petrol companies. That is the price of Liberal failure. The Liberal Party is today, despite the fact they were promoting this policy themselves just a couple of years ago, still engaging in a pathetic scare campaign about the cost of cars. Fuel efficiency standards - vehicle efficiency standards have existed around the world since the 1970s in the United States and several decades in other countries, and in no country has the cost of cars gone up as a result. The Liberal Party knows it, I know it, the car companies know it, everyone knows it.

So, the consultation process for the Government’s preferred proposition closed on Monday. Catherine King and I will work through the submissions. As I said publicly, if there's good faith, sensible suggestions, we'll take them on board. But it's well beyond time that Australians had access to better, cheaper to run choices for their cars. The Albanese Government will deliver that, the previous Liberal Government failed. I've also today made announcements about support for Europcar for their transition to electric vehicles. That's important because a lot of people try out an electric vehicle when they're hiring a car and see if that suits them. Also, of course, they turn over their cars so that hits the secondhand fleet in a couple years time, which is very important. We want to see more electric vehicles secondhand because that's how a lot of people will get in the market. But also, support for councils in Western Australia making the transition to help them transfer from diesel to electric. They want to make the transition; they're investing their own money and we're also supporting them in that.

So, a couple of announcements today supporting that transition. But most importantly, the cost of Liberal failure paid by Australian motorists over the last few years. Since 2017, $4 billion. That ends today. I'll take questions here first and then I'll go to the telephone. Peter?

JOURNALIST: Yeah, Minister, this morning Tesla says that it's pulling out of the Federated Chamber of Automotive Industries. I'm just wondering, what does that tell you about, I guess, how the industries kind of split on the issue of emission standards?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, I just heard that news as I was walking to the press conference, so I won't give a comprehensive comment because that's a matter ultimately for Tesla. I will say this. I welcome the support of Tesla for our efficiency standards. I welcome the support of Hyundai, and Kia, and Volkswagen and others, as well as, of course, peak motoring groups, NRMA, RACQ, RACWA, etc.

It is incumbent on everyone, on everyone in the debate, to provide full facts, proper facts, truthful facts. The government has provided full analysis. The Liberal Party has engaged in misinformation matter for Tesla as to what groups they are a member of or not a member.

JOURNALIST: Minister, you've seen in the past government regulations leading to products being dropped in the Australian market, quad bikes as an example. Just how concerned are you about the effect of that competition in terms of the changes?

CHRIS BOWEN: It's about more choices. I mean, people are - 85 per cent of cars sold around the world are sold under vehicle efficiency standards - 85 per cent. People have much better choices than they're getting in Australia. So, let's just focus on the facts here not scare campaigns.

JOURNALIST: In terms of the Eraring deal with Origin and NSW Government, just how much does that imperil 43 per cent by 2030?

CHRIS BOWEN: Not at all. Not at all. We're on track with 43 per cent emissions reduction. I agree with Penny Sharpe. We want Eraring to stay open not a day longer than it needs to, not a day earlier than it should. Those discussions –

JOURNALIST: When will it close then?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, those are discussions between NSW Government and the Eraring and Origin Energy. I'm not a member of the NSW Government. I'll go to the phone, ABC.

JOURNALIST: Minister, Tesla's also has referred the FCAI to the Competition Watchdog over concerns that may have helped to coordinate prices in how car brands are responding to the FS. Is that something you have any concern about? Is there a question to be answered here?

CHRIS BOWEN: I think probably you might have answered your own question. It's been referred to the ACCC and therefore be inappropriate for a Cabinet Member to comment. It will now be a matter for the ACCC to investigate.

JOURNALIST: Minister, in your speech today, when you asked about whether the Federal Government would consider lifting the ban on nuclear energy, you did mention that the regulatory challenges would be quite lengthy. Can you detail what that would actually mean?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, I mean, I think you'd understand, Peter, that to have a nuclear power industry in Australia, you need regulation. Very comprehensive regulation. Legislation, regulations, a regulator - these aren't things that you write in weeks or months or a couple of years. I mean, it would take years and years to set that up, in my observation. So, this whole idea that the Liberal Party, this fantasy, that they're propagating that you could have nuclear power in the early 2030s, it's just that - it's a nonsense and a fantasy. They say they're going to release their policy soon. I mean, bring it on, guys. You've had multiple front pages saying you're going to do nuclear. There comes a point where you've actually got to put your money where your mouth is, tell us where, what locations, how much cost. Then we'll have a full on proper debate on it and it won't survive contact with reality.

JOURNALIST: Minister, with regard to the Future Gas Strategy, have you got any more of an idea about exactly how much of the future gas generation will require as part of that? 18 per cent that won't be renewables under your plan?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, Future Gas Strategy being written by my colleague Madeleine King, in consultation with me and other Ministers, and she'll release it in due course. We have plenty of evidence out there from the ACCC and AMO as to what sorts of issues we're dealing with and we'll deal with them. Anything else? All good?

JOURNALIST: Yes, the Capacity Investment Scheme. It's been revealed in the last week that you're now seeking ten gigawatts of new renewables this year in a series of auctions and probably the same next year. What's going to be the hold up? How confident are you now, with that amount of capacity coming in, that you can actually meet that 82 per cent target. Well, the big question is when that can be done?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well, the Capacity Investment Scheme will always get there. We put out a paper about all sorts of things. I'll be making further announcements about exact nature of gigawatts per auction very soon. We're in very, very good shape on the Capacity Investment Scheme. It's going to play a very big role in our renewable energy future. I'm very pleased with how the preparatory work is coming along on board to say, quite soon. Okay, thanks, everyone.