Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 33
Division/Agency:	Australian Greenhouse Office
Topic: 	Australians working together to meet the challenge of climate change

Hansard Page ECITA:	98

Senator Wong asked:

Firstly, why did the Australian Greenhouse Office take so long to answer the questions on notice in the last estimates round? I understand two were only handed to the secretariat today.

Answer:

The Australian Greenhouse Office met the internal portfolio deadline for submission of the answers, but due to an administrative oversight within the Department of the Environment and Heritage, the answers were not submitted to the Committee by the due date.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 34
Division/Agency:	Australian Greenhouse Office
Topic: 	Queensland land clearing

Hansard Page ECITA:	98

Senator Wong asked:

When was the decision by the government made that is referred to in the answer? You may recall that we had a lengthy discussion about this at the last estimates–

Answer:

Minister Truss announced in the Parliament on 3 March 2004 that the Australian Government would not provide financial support to the implementation of the Queensland Government’s new land clearing legislation.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 35
Division/Agency:	Industry Communities & Energy, AGO
Topic: 	Mandatory Renewable Energy Target

Hansard Page ECITA:	113

Senator Wong asked:

I recall asking some questions about this, actually, in an inquiry of this committee. What did the McLennan consulting report indicate was the range of potential impact of an increase to 5%? Do you recall?

Answer/s:

McLennan Magasanik Associates Pty Ltd (MMA) in their report “Economic Impacts of Changes to the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target” assessed that increasing the MRET target to 5% in 2010 would lower GDP by 0.07% compared to a no MRET scenario. The current MRET scheme was assessed to lower GDP by 0.033% in 2010. MMA modelled that a 5% target in 2010 translated to 21,505 gigawatt hours.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 36
Division/Agency:	Australian Greenhouse Office
Topic: 	Mandatory Renewable Energy Target

Hansard Page ECITA:	114

Senator Wong asked:

And Econtech had a look at the McLennan modelling.
What was the cost of that?

Answer/s:

The Econtech peer review of the Report on “Impacts of a 20,000 GWh Target for the MRET Scheme” cost $9020, including GST.