The Albanese Government is committed to taking real action on climate change.

The Albanese Government’s Powering Australia Plan and National Reconstruction Fund will deliver policies and programs to support decarbonisation in our economy, drive business innovation and investment, and make our energy system more affordable and reliable.

The Government is fully committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and has already strengthened Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target, as well as to reach 82% renewable energy by 2030.

As ageing coal generators continue to retire, and as we add more renewables into the energy mix, gas will remain an important energy source during the energy transition to ensure the reliability and security of energy supply.

The pandemic is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of Australia to supply chains – and the importance of sovereign capability.

The Fuel Security Act 2021 is aimed at securing Australia’s long-term refining capability by providing eligible refiners with the support needed for the production of key transport fuels, including jet fuel, petrol and diesel.

This scheme is carefully calibrated to external market conditions and provides Government support only when absolutely essential to ensure we are able to keep our defence, transport and logistics sectors operating and supply chains secure.

The last thing we want to see is a situation where food is rotting in warehouses because communities are unable to access it due to a lack of fuel for trucks.

The Government will review other funding decisions of the previous Government in due course and carefully consider the merits of all policy options to achieve net-zero by 2050.