2 April 2025
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (17:26): I rise to indicate that the Greens will not be supporting the select committee. I understand the concerns that the opposition has in relation to this proposal and, indeed, I did call for there to be a committee established back when the hydrogen bill was originally put forward. However, since that time, the government has announced a major shift in terms of the policy approach that they are taking, with a reorientation towards Whyalla, and so the plan has been significantly scaled down.
The Liberal Party have also, since that time, made it clear that they want to just abolish the Office of Hydrogen in its entirety. The question I have then is: what is the purpose of an inquiry? If you already have an end goal in mind, what is the purpose of an inquiry? It seems to me that this is going to be used as yet another opportunity for them to undermine renewables, and another opportunity for the climate deniers in the Liberal Party to get a platform.
On that basis, the Greens will not be supporting the committee but, of course, we will continue to urge for transparency in terms of how this matter is dealt with. I recognise the Budget and Finance Committee has the capacity to look into this, and I hope that there will continue to be some level of transparency around this, but a forum to attack and undermine renewables is really not the best way forward.