Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 3:03:26 to 3:05:57
Senators question a discrepancy between Treasury and Department forecasts regarding future diesel consumption, with one projecting an increase and the other a decline by 2030.
Topics: Fuel excise, Emissions reduction
Speakers: Steph Hodgins-May, Andrew Hutchinson, Hon Tim Ayres, Unknown Speaker, Mr Andrew Hutchinson
Um we've submitted two questions on notice, one to Treasury and one um to your department minister on f on diesel use forecasts. Based on your 2025 emissions projections report, you say that diesel use will decline by 1.5 billion L by 2030. Um however, based on fuel excise in the budget papers, Treasury confirmed that we'll be burning 2.4 billion L more in 2030. Um so one department saying diesel um exposure will be increasing while another says it will be decreasing. Can you please provide some clarity?
>> Not sure I'm in a position to provide much clarity. If uh if uh there's any information that comes to me um in the next few moments I'll do that. Uh but otherwise if there's an official who's in a position to provide an answer I'm very very happy for them to do that.
Good afternoon, Senator Andrew Hutchinson, uh, division head of emissions reactions division. I'm so sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you, could you please repeat that question as we were just coming up to the table and didn't come?
>> Yeah. So um we submitted two questions on notice, one to treasure treasury, one to the department on diesel use forecasts. And based on um 2025 emissions project report, um the department says that diesel use will decline by 1.5 billion liters by 2030. Um however, based on the fuel excise in the budget papers, Treasury confirmed that we'll be burning 2 2.4 billion L more in 2030. Um, so one one department saying diesel exposure will be increasing while the other says it will be decreasing and I just curious to know which one is correct.
>> Thank you, Senator. I am not familiar with that exact question on notice. I don't think I have it in my pack, but um I would say that our our current current best estimate of diesel consumption into the future is indeed in the 2025 emissions projections that you've cited. uh and that our next um more updated assessment of that will be in the 2026 emissions projections which are due to be tabled by the end of this year. Um apologies because it's taking on notice look at that.
>> We can bring the questions on notice and perhaps return to this in later in the session. >> Um all right. So I'll save that that question block until you've um familiarized yourself.