Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 48
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities & Energy Division
Topic:	Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme
Hansard Page ECITA:	118

Senator Wong asked:
Did you give me a document on the last occasion which showed me where the $130 million went? If you did, could I have it again.

Answer/s:
At the Senate Budget Estimates Hearing in May 2005, a table was provided showing a translation of the 2004-05 Budget Climate Change Strategy Measures from Previous/Existing Measures (copy provided marked Attachment A).

The Climate Change Strategy measures announced in the 2004-05 Budget comprised total funding of $463.6 million over the period 2004-05 to 2007-08 (ref. 2004-05 Budget Paper No. 2, page 150). This comprised $203.6 million for continuing programs plus $260 million for new measures.

The 2004-05 Budget Climate Change Strategy included a redirection of $130.3 million from the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme as follows:

Continuing programs
$83.1 million			Greenhouse Gas Abatement Program (GGAP)
$  9.5 million			Alternative Fuels Conversion Program (AFCP)
$91.0 million			Remote Renewable Power Generation Program (RRPGP)
$  6.5 million			Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program
$  6.2 million			Renewable Energy Equity Fund
$  5.8 million			Photovoltaic Rebate Program
$  1.6 million			Other
$ 203.6 million		Continuing programs sub-total

New Measures
	$178.0 million			Offsets	(GGAP $130.3m; AFCP $37.8m; $10.0m RRPGP)
	$  70.3 million		            New Funding               	 
	$  11.7 million			Existing funding                                                                   
	$260.0 million			New measures sub-total
$463.6 million			Climate Change Strategy total

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 49
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities & Energy Division
Topic:	Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme (GGAP)
Hansard Page ECITA:	119

Senator Wong asked:
What was the abatement on the refrigerant [project]?

Answer/s:
Abatement from the Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) project is estimated as 104,700 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent from September 2001 to 31 December 2004.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 50
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities and Energy Division/Australian Greenhouse Office
Topic:	Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency

Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Wong asked:
Why did the Government mandate terms of reference so narrow that the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency did not “examine the full range of options to improve energy efficiency” as promised in the Energy White Paper?

Answer:
The terms of reference for Productivity Commission falls within the portfolio responsibilities of the Treasurer. Questions on this matter should be directed to that portfolio.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 51
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities and Energy Division/Australian Greenhouse Office

Topic:	Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency

Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Wong asked:
Is the Government aware that the Productivity Commission’s recommendations relating to mandatory energy efficiency standards are unfounded because the commission did not examine the public benefit or the market failure of delivering energy efficiency?

Answer:
The Productivity Commission’s recommendations referred to are from a draft report. The final report is due to be released on 31 August 2005. The Government will respond to the final report in accordance with established Government procedures.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 52
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities and Energy Division/Australian Greenhouse Office

Topic:	Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency

Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Wong asked:
Is the Government aware that the Productivity Commission did not recognise the benefit of energy efficiency standards proposed by the Building Code of Australia for commercial buildings which will deliver net financial savings 4.6 times as much as the costs while saving 18 Million Tonnes of CO2 over 10 years?

Answer:
The discussion referred to above is from a draft report. The final report is due to be released on 31 August 2005. The Government will respond to the final report in accordance with established Government procedures.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 53
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities and Energy Division/Australian Greenhouse Office

Topic:	Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency

Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Wong asked:
How much funding was allocated to the Productivity Commission for an inquiry with such limited relevance to the public policy challenges of energy efficiency?

Answer:
The funding of Productivity Commission inquiries falls within the portfolio responsibilities of the Treasurer. Questions on this matter should be directed to the Treasury portfolio.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 54
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities and Energy Division/Australian Greenhouse Office

Topic:	Productivity Commission Inquiry into Energy Efficiency

Hansard Page ECITA:	Written Question on Notice

Senator Wong asked:
Is the Government planning to establish a new inquiry or to expand the terms of reference of the current inquiry – to genuinely examine the “full range of options” and “the potential economic and environmental benefits from improving energy efficiency” as promised in the Energy White paper?

Answer:
The conduct of Productivity Commission inquiries is a matter for the Treasurer and should be directed to that portfolio.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 56
Division/Agency:	Industry, Communities and Energy Division/Australian Greenhouse Office 

Topic:	AGO staffing	
Hansard Page ECITA:	115

Senator Wong asked:
Just remind me – before AGO was abolished, how many staff were there. So will you take that on notice? 

Answer/s:
The number of staff in AGO at 22 October 2004 was 167.
Two staff were due to cease shortly after 22 October 2004, which would make the total 165.