Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, , 9:31:58 to 9:34:57
A heated exchange occurs between the Minister and Senators regarding the historical design and management of Snowy 2.0, leading to the conclusion of the agency's testimony.
Topics: Snowy Hydro, Renewable energy, Government spending
Speakers: Hon Murray Watt, Hon Sarah Henderson, Varun Ghosh, Unknown Speaker
>> Senator Henderson, the minister has already said publicly that um the government is now considering how best to support Snowey Hydro to deliver value for the taxpayer and bolster governance and oversight arrangements as the project progresses towards completion. and we'll make those announcements in due course.
>> Minister, $25 billion is not value for the taxpayer.
>> Well, if the original cost and project hadn't been worked out on the back of a beer coaster, we might not be having
that >> and Minister Bowen should not be in this job because this is the most serious and significant blowout that we have seen.
>> Well, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Taylor has holds a more senior position than he did when he was the energy minister who kicked this
project off. I mean, Australians are watching this and they're laughing at how you continue to deflect $25 billion. Minister,
>> it was never going to cost $2 billion, which is what Mr. Turble and Mr. Taylor came up with on the back of a beer coaster. >> Mr. and Barnaby Joyce used those words to describe how they arrived at that $2 billion cost. they've done the work properly and actually designed this project properly rather than what's been called the design immaturity um which underpinned this project. We we may not be having this conversation
>> and minister what Minister Bowen should apologize to Australian taxpayers and he should reser going to apologize for this graceful mismanagement of a project we have ever seen. >> Talk to Mr. Taylor. This has gone pear-shaped under your government.
>> It went
>> and it is and now we are asking
>> this story started a lot earlier than
>> We are now asking very important questions which cannot be answered. There is now another multi-billion dollar bailout facing Australian taxpayers. such a serious issue and this goes to the heart of the incompetence of your
Mr. Taylor
>> that we're now at a point where this is going back and forth in argument rather than question and answer. Um uh Senator Henderson, do you have more questions on this? I'm conscious um of the time, but if you do, obviously, then that's fine. Uh we've got 10 minutes till our dinner
>> yeah, look, I I think uh I think I might leave it there. >> Thank you very much. and we could probably >> go to dinner a bit earlier.
>> Um, yes, I think that does make sense actually given the time it'll take to bring up the next agency. So, at this point, we will excuse Snowy Hydro. Um, thank you, Mr. Barnes, and to your officers. Uh, we know how much work goes into preparing for Senate estimates and the work involved in appearing here. Uh, we will take our dinner break at 6:35. We will be back at 7:35 and we will update as to which agency will be returning but as matters standard is the Australian energy regulator.