QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr BOWEN (McMahon—Minister for Climate Change and Energy) (14:42): If I heard the honourable member correctly, he asked how much has been spent on green hydrogen. I just wanted to make sure. There are a number of government programs which are relevant, some of which were announced by the previous government and some of which have been announced by us.

Some of the hydrogen hubs that were announced by the previous government have not proceeded. I'm happy to get the honourable member further details on that. Importantly, the government's policy for a green hydrogen production tax credit and the Hydrogen Headstart policy are paid only on production.

That was an important part of the design of the policy. If green hydrogen is not being produced, there's no money being paid for it. The other expenditure that the honourable member might be referring to is the support for Fortescue's green hydrogen manufacturing plant in Gladstone, which was run under the industry department and was initiated under the previous government, in which the honourable member was Deputy Prime Minister.

Given the honourable member asked me about green hydrogen, it is relevant to say that I still have the view that green hydrogen has a role to play in industrial decarbonisation in the future. It's taken longer than was predicted just a few years ago. The opposition criticised me for saying that it could provide $50 billion in additional GDP by 2050.

The member for Wannon has criticised me for that. I do want to give credit where it's due, though. I stand on the shoulders of giants, because my predecessor as minister for energy, the member for Hume said on one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight occasions that hydrogen would be responsible for $50 billion of additional GDP by 2050— The SPEAKER: The minister will just take a break for a sec, and then I will hear from the member for New England, who is entitled to raise his point of order on relevance.

Mr Joyce: It very much is. I don't think I could make the question any tighter. 'How much has been spent on green hydrogen thus far,' full stop. The SPEAKER: Yes, I listened carefully.

The minister did say that he would come back to you with some further details regarding that figure, and I can appreciate the member would like a figure or a point, but, as he knows, I don't have the ability to do that. But, if the Minister's got additional information regarding the question he was asked, I'll just make sure he's being directly relevant about the policy and the costings he was asked about.

Mr BOWEN: Indeed, as I've indicated, the two main government policies are Hydrogen Headstart and the production tax credit, which is only paid on production. No payments have been made, because none has been produced. I will get the honourable member more information about the hydrogen hubs because some are proceeding and some have not proceeded.

I will provide the member with that update. On green hydrogen: it has been the case that governments have invested in green hydrogen—for example, my predecessor, as Minister for Energy, said of green hydrogen, which is made from renewables: … we expect to be getting down to the $2 mark in the 2030s. So we're investing heavily in this.

The member for Hume said that when he had my job. So green hydrogen has received support from both governments. That is the case.

I table the eight occasions in which the member for Hume said that hydrogen could boost GDP by 2050, which is exactly what I said, which is what the opposition has criticised me for.