Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 2:42:12 to 2:47:51
Discussion regarding the $11.46 million spent on the national fuel security advertising campaign, its effectiveness in changing driver behavior, and the remaining unspent funds.
Topics: Emissions reduction, Government advertising, Energy prices
Speakers: Hon Bridget McKenzie, Cathie Kennedy, Richard Wood, Senator Glenn Sterle, Mr. Jim Betts, Interjection, Rachel Parry
Okay, that sounds like outcome two
in 2627 budget. uh $und00 million $1.1 billion over two years was provided for the department's components of the government's energy sovereignty, fuel security and resilience measures. How much of this spending h um how much of this funding has been spent to date? Okay, we just
get people to the table. So this relates, as I understand it, to production incentives for um lowcarbon
>> I'll just check. Are we in the right area?
>> Corporate. >> Yes,
>> Well, everything's corporate then. >> Yeah, everything
>> only because I'm keen that if not taking away the ability to ask all the questions you want, Senator, but if we if it's not corporate, have you got the PE? I always have this problem when we start as you know. Okay. So, we do have
people here who have in anticipation
>> with how much of the funding's been
>> Let's see how we go. But let's disagreement. If if it's in the wrong area, call it out.
>> Thank you.
>> And and then we can move on and get to
that area.
>> Okay. >> Senator McKenzie,
>> Senator Rachel Parry, Deputy Secretary of Transport Group, can we just narrow down your question a little bit more? I just want to make sure that you're
referring to the lowcarbon liquid fuels
program. Is that is that where you're going with this one?
>> How much of the um >> has been spent to date?
>> Uh Senator Richard Wood, first assistant secretary, international aviation technology and services. The cleaner fuels program um which is intended to stimulate private investment in the offshore on the onshore production of lowcarbon liquid fuels. Um while the department holds a policy role in relation to that the um funding is actually administered through Arena the um Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
>> Okay. So you don't have oversight of
>> No, we we have a policy role working with um with DQ um and of course Arena but Arena is actually the the agency. >> Okay. >> Holds the appropriation. clarify? I think um uh Arena will be the delivery agency. I would need to check whether the probe currently sits with Arena or DQ, but is in that portfolio.
>> No, that's okay. They're next to across the way. So, I will I will get to them. Um is there any funding left unspent from the $20 million the government committed towards the fuel security advertising program? And Minister, you might recall your your roof racks got quite the mention last
>> Senator, we'll just have to wait for our corporate colleagues to come to the
>> Kathy Kennedy, assistant secretary communication branch. Um, uh, the expenditure for the national fuel security campaign was 11.46 million.
>> Sorry, say that again.
>> 11.46. 46 million.
>> So we spent 11.46 of the 20 million allocated.
>> That's right.
>> Um and how are we tracking success of that advertising >> program and just so people can be reminded that this is to save petrol by driving slower I think and removing your roof racks.
So um as with all government campaigns, we undertook benchmark tracking and evaluation research. Um the um the research found that um uh people um had um that the the approach resonated with people. Um it um it helped people understand um the national fuel security plan. uh people took actions as a result of the um of seeing the campaign um and people felt reassured that there was a plan to secure fuel supply.
>> Did you get get any sort of feedback that they might have thought it was a bit ridiculous?
Uh look, the the research found that um uh around 49% of people recalled seeing the campaign and took >> and took actions as a result of that. So the most common actions that were taken uh were only filling up with the fuel that people needed. Um ensuring their tires were pumped up and running fewer um errands in the one trip, running more errands in the one trip.
>> Excellent. Excellent. Um what are you going to do with the rest of the money?
>> So um there is uh 8.24 million remaining and if that is not required this financial year those funds will be returned to consolidated revenue.
>> Well played Mr. Betts. Well played. Excellent work. Um, how much has the department spent to date under the $55 million transport resilient and capacity kickstart program