Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 6:12:26 to 6:15:46
Senators question the department on the recovery of public funds following Pilot Energy entering administration and the role of the Business Grants Hub.
Topics: Grants administration, Integrity
Speakers: Steph Hodgins-May, Hon Tim Ayres, Hon Sarah Henderson, Bruce Edwards, Varun Ghosh, Paul Murphy
chair, we're very um very conscious of time. If no one else objects, I'm very um happy to to the next program. And I'm actually suggesting unless anyone else
>> sure
>> wants to uh I'm I'm just suggesting that we can put the rest of our questions for outcome one on notice so we can move because we're obviously very over time.
>> I'm just going to finish the block that I was on if that's okay.
>> Can I can I can we hold you to Sorry, we're just conducting negotiations on
>> 5 minutes. Sure. Five minutes. Thanks.
Okay. Thank you, Senator.
>> Thank you. Um just back to my previous questions around pilot. do you have any more information on what steps you've taken to terminate the agreement and recover any unspent or allen in it? or ineligible grant
>> Not for that project, Senator. So the advice I gave you is all the detail we
>> Um and you mentioned that the department is engaging with the administrator on notice. Can you provide the correspondence between the department concerning pilot's financial position and administration?
>> Senator, sorry. The um business grants hub is um engaging with the administrator. So again, we're the policy agency. So they
>> So what's your relationship with? So I don't quite understand how the business
>> business sits inside the department of industry science and resources.
>> Okay. >> So I need to ask them would that
>> uh so we wouldn't hold any correspondence with the administrator. So they basically administer the full grant interact with proponents.
>> Okay.
>> So on so forth.
yeah if there's if it's possible then to get any correspondence about their financial position. Um that would be useful. Thank you. Um not with the administrator. Um and Minister listening to this series of questions I realize there's not we don't have a full picture given the different players actors do you agree that pilot the pilot energy collapse demonstrates a clear market distress relating to CCS
No, I don't know enough about that particular project um to uh be able to say very much about it at all in terms of the um portfolio responsibility um for these questions. Um that really is I mean business grants hub in my department does u the work of managing these grants for right across government um on a fee for service basis I should say a cost recovery basis which is um which is very good um
>> 3 million plus dollars of public funds on potentially
>> so they will be they will be managing those questions in terms of um uh carbon capture and storage um I I interested in develop velments in in the sector, but I'm not sure whether this particular event tells us very much