Press conference, Fairfield West, NSW

MINISTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY, CHRIS BOWEN: Thanks for coming everyone, each weekend since March I've provided updates on Australia's fuel situation and I'm pleased to be able to do so again today and I'm also pleased to be able to say we have 44 days worth of petrol, which is 3 days more than last week's update and 8 days more than when the conflict began, 36 days worth of diesel, which is one day less than the update last week and 4 days more than when the Iran conflict began, and 34 days worth of jet fuel, which is also one day less than last week, but 5 days more than when the conflict began.

We have 51 ships on the way to Australia with fuel, which is a very good thing, and we have 3.5 billion litres of fuel locked in for delivery over the next four weeks, which is slightly less than last week's update but very consistent with all the updates we've provided up until now. So again, as we've said many times, while this international situation remains ongoing, which we would prefer not to be the case, we'll remain focused on providing Australians with the security they need to get the fuel they need.

While others called for rationing, when idlers like Dan Tehan predicted rationing, shortages, we remain focused on a calm, methodical approach working with industry, which has ensured that Australia's fuel security has remained secure despite these international challenges, and we'll keep doing so. So that's today's fuel update. I'm happy to take questions on that and other matters.

We might start with journalists who are here in person, then I'll go to the phone. Lachie? JOURNALIST: Minister, can you guarantee that the Government's promise that its tax policies will only raise rents by $2 a week will not end up the same as your promise to cut electricity bills by $275?

CHRIS BOWEN: Lachie, We've had the view, and we'll continue to propagate the view, that the situation that Australians face, especially first home owners, people who are trying to become first homeowners, was not acceptable, and things need to change. And we need to change the policy settings for now and for the long term, and that means giving first homeowners a better chance.

Now, the Treasury has modelled this very carefully, showing the impact on rents being very, very modest, and that, I'm sure, will be the case. Now, also, that is why we ensured that we grandfathered, one of the reasons why we ensured grandfathering of existing arrangements, really, for two reasons. One, because it's fair to people who make investments with good faith, and secondly, because it means if people are currently negatively geared and renting out their house, there's no change to their arrangements, so there's no need for them to change the rental that they charge.

Now, you're going to see, you know, all sorts of predictions, all sorts of changes, but these policy settings are in the best interest, particularly of those renters who are trying not to be renters anymore, but trying to be first-home buyers, who for long last, now, are getting a fair go. The Liberals and the Nationals and One Nation are happy with the situation where they're being locked out.

We're not. JOURNALIST: We know how the electricity bill promise, though went. Have you got full confidence this $2 a week promise is actually going to happen?

CHRIS BOWEN: I mean, we're dealing with very different things there. We've seen electricity prices around the world skyrocket as a result of various international crises. Australia's now one of the very few countries in the world where wholesale prices are coming down, not going up, because of government policies.

Any other questions here, before I go to the phone? JOURNALIST: So, just on the back of Lachie, why won't Labor release the modelling behind the claim tax changes will only increase rents by $2 a week since it's [inaudible]? CHRIS BOWEN: We've released all the relevant outcomes in accordance with the normal practices.

Okay, I might go to the phone. JOURNALIST: Is there any way you think the Federal Government might be able to try and get Queensland on board in terms of that investing in renewables to power data centres? CHRIS BOWEN: Well, the Queensland Government has made their views pretty clear.

We disagree with them, and we're proceeding with that. Now, we'll be putting in place Commonwealth legislation here. I always prefer to work with states where I can, but we're seeing a situation with electricity and Murray Watt’s facing a similar situation with water, where Queensland wants to take an [inaudible] approach.

Let data centres be data centres approach. We don't agree with that. We want data centre investment in Australia, but we want it to be in the best interest of Australians.

And we're not going to let Queensland run a race to the bottom, which would see energy bills go up, reliability go down, because they want data centres at any cost. I don't think that's what Australians want. I don't think it's what Queenslanders want.

That's not what the Albanese Government's going to let happen. So, no, I'm not hopeful of reaching agreement with Queensland. Their view is pretty strong.

Our view is equally strong, and we'll be proceeding. Might go to journalists on the phone. JOURNALIST: Minister, just on fuel.

The sugar industry says that if there was an ethanol mandate, as there is in more than 50 countries, Australia would have cheaper fuel. It would help add to fuel security. It would add millions of litres of supply overnight.

It would also shore up their industry, because it would give them another option to sell. So why doesn't Australia have an ethanol purchasing mandate like other countries? CHRIS BOWEN: Well, great question.

And last week, Catherine King and I released the next stages of ensuring biofuels in Australia, in which ethanol is a key option. Ethanol, sugar, canola, all sorts of Australian agricultural products can go into Australian fuels, and that can help us with fuel security, and it can help create income for Australian farmers. Now, that is something that the National Party has called for, for some time to be fair to them.

But as soon as we came out and announced it, all of a sudden the National Party is against it, running just a ridiculous scare campaign, saying more biofuels in petrol will put petrol prices up. So, Matt Canavan and Bridget McKenzie have very serious explaining to do to Australia's farmers as to why they are opposing the Albanese government's plans to get more Australian agricultural products like canola and sugar, and ultimately after processing ethanol, into Australian fuels, which can be very good for fuel security and provide alternative sources of income for sugar farmers and others.

So, in effect, I agree with the sugar farmers that we need to be looking at all these options. Matt Canavan needs to explain to sugar farmers why he's against it. JOURNALIST: Minister Bowen, Andrew Probyn here.

I take it you might have been watching David Farley this morning. Are you any wiser on One Nation's policy when it comes to migration? CHRIS BOWEN: Yeah, thanks Andrew.

I did see Mr Farley's interview this morning. As best I can gather, as I watched Mr Farley's interview, as best I can work out what he was saying, he was basically making the point that while it's important to get net overseas migration down, as the government has been doing, it's also important to balance that against the needs of business for skilled labour.

So, the numbers he was talking about are very similar to the numbers the government's been working towards. Our target is 225,000, that's our projection. When you add up what he was saying this morning, he basically gets to the same number.

So, I'm not sure what One Nation is saying about immigration because it appears to me, based on what Mr Farley said, that One Nation now agrees with the approach of the government. And obviously I'd welcome that. JOURNALIST: Do you think it's possible that David Farley is actually speaking out of school?

That Pauline Hanson might have a different view? Or is the confusion simply down to that breakdown between a man who's independently minded and the leader of One Nation? CHRIS BOWEN: Well, Pauline Hanson has previously said she doesn't care about the impacts on business of immigration changes.

David Farley was making clear this morning that he does. And I respect the fact that he's in touch with farmers in his electorate and farmers need that labour. I understand that he's reflecting those views in his community and I welcome that.

Now I'm not going to comment on what's going on inside the One Nation party room, I'd be the last person who would know. But all I can do is read in good faith his comments this morning and say it appears he's recognising the important balances that need to be struck in setting immigration policy, which Tony Burke and the government have been working towards.

And he appears to be on board for that. JOURNALIST: Why did the government throw $15 million at a rice cake factory? CHRIS BOWEN: Well, David Farley raised an issue in the parliament which we thought was legitimate.

And while I'm not across the details, I understand Murray Watt's been in communication about fixing the issues that Mr Farley raised. JOURNALIST: Minister, can I ask on data centres, it sounds like you're not expecting a change in position from Queensland. So, will National Cabinet just press on and settle with the states that it can on Wednesday?

CHRIS BOWEN: Yeah, so I mean obviously I hope Queensland changes its view and realises that their policy would put upward pressure on energy prices and downward pressure on reliability. I hope they change their view. I don't think they will, I'm a realist.

I've been crystal clear with the Queensland minister and government that we have responsibilities to the whole country. We have constitutional powers which we intend to exercise to ensure Australians are not disadvantaged by data centres being opened. I mean there's one proposed, or just down the road from here, in my electorate, in Kemps Creek, which would have energy use higher than the Tomago Aluminium smelter, if you don't have the right rules in place, that will send energy bills up.

With the right rules in place, you can actually get the investment, but actually get to a good outcome where those data centres need to bring their own renewable energy and can back it up with gas peaking. That's sensible. Queensland government's approach is not sensible.

So, we won't let them set the rules for the whole country. And that's what they want to do, they want to have a lowest common denominator race to the bottom. We don't agree.

JOURNALIST: Minister, just on rents again. We've seen in the paper this morning that some rents in some parts of the country have gone up by as much as 80% since COVID. Is there any way landlords can justify that, or are renters being taken for a ride?

CHRIS BOWEN: Well obviously that's a data set over a very long period of time, you know, since COVID that's not in the recent weeks. That's important to remember. Obviously, what we're about doing is making sure the entire real estate system is fairer for young people in particular who are trying to get into their first home.

JOURNALIST: 80% in six years or so, does that sound justifiable? CHRIS BOWEN: Yeah, and when you're paying higher rents it's even harder to get into your own home because you've got more weekly expenses. That's what we want to fix, to give first home buyers a better chance.

Now obviously we call on all landlords to be fair in all their dealings with their tenants, but we're also making the tax system fairer so those very people, those very renters, have a better chance of getting into the housing market. JOURNALIST: Can I just ask one more about migration? This argument from David Farley of sort of separating what he called true net overseas migration versus specific workers like aged care nurses and stuff like that.

Does that kind of make sense to you, to separate out different groups of workers in the migration market? CHRIS BOWEN: Yeah, to be honest, net overseas migration is net overseas migration. That's what the figures are.

It's the number of people arriving in Australia versus the number of people leaving. Those figures are totals which don't take into account the various elements of it. That's just the way the system is set up.

I don't think you can just redefine net overseas migration. But as I said, as I watched David Farley this morning, my overwhelming conclusion was he's pretty comfortable with what the government's doing. So, I'm not sure what campaign One Nation's going to run on migration if they're effectively backing in what the Albanese government is doing.

All right. Feels like a wrap. All right.

We're getting one last one here. JOURNALIST: You mentioned earlier, you said something about there being a lot of economic forecasts floating around, but that $2 a week rent rise is your Treasury's, your government's Treasury's forecast. Do you 100% stand by that?

CHRIS BOWEN: The point I was making this morning, the point I made in the press conference, was that there's all sorts of commentators and speculators out there saying different things, some of whom are genuine commentators, others who no doubt are vested interests, talking in their own best interest. What we're doing is acting in the best interest of every single Australian.

And, yeah, the Treasury modelling is robust. The Treasury is the one organisation which gives the government fierce, fearless advice and modelling not with any other reason than to predict what they think is going to happen. And, of course, the government obviously takes that modelling as the most credible advice that they can possibly give.

All right. Thanks, everyone. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.