Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 35
Division/Agency:	Environment Quality Division
Topic:	Response to the House of Representatives 'Sustainable Cities' Report

Hansard Page ECITA:	107-108

Senator Carr asked:
I understand that the department has written to all relevant Australian government agencies seeking an interdepartmental committee on matters raised within this report. Is that correct?
(a)  When was the letter establishing this IDC?
(b)  Who was present at the meeting?
(c)  It appears that the secretary of the department wrote in October to each state and territory and the Australian Local Government Association seeking their comments on the report.  Are you able to advise me whether or not there have been any responses to this correspondence from the secretary?
(d)  Dr Washer, who was the chair of the committee, and I attended a planning institute conference in April.  He stated that he would be following up the failure of the government to respond on this report.  Have you had any correspondence from Dr Washer on this matter?   

Answers:
(a)	Yes.  The Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Heritage wrote to other Australian Government agencies on 29 October 2005 inviting their participation in an IDC.
(b)	Agencies present at the first IDC meeting were the Treasury; the Department of Finance and Administration; the Department of Transport and Regional Services; the Department of the Environment and Heritage; the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; AusAID and the National Water Commission.
(c)	Yes.
(d)	The Department has received no correspondence on this matter from the Chairman of the Committee.  Correspondence between Members and Ministers is a matter for them.

Outcome:	1. Environment			Question No: 36
Division/Agency:	Environment Quality Division
Topic:	Biodiesel
Hansard Page ECITA:	108

Senator Siewert asked:
I want to ask a few questions about biodiesel and the standards for biodiesel.  As I
understand it at the moment, there are 20 criteria that biodiesel needs to meet. Is that correct?

I have heard some concern expressed in the industry that they do not think that the standards—this is coming from the industry—are quite tough enough.  If I understand it correctly, the industry is concerned there may be people making backyard biodiesel that does not actually meet criteria and they may sell it into the market and then lower the quality of biodiesel and give the product a bad name. Have you had those concerns presented to you?

Answer:

Under the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 (the Act), there are twenty quality criteria specified for biodiesel. These are detailed in the Fuel Standard (Biodiesel) Determination 2003 and the Fuel Standard (Biodiesel) Amendment Determination 2004. 

The Department of the Environment and Heritage undertakes fuel quality inspections across Australia and is aware of instances of poor quality biodiesel. The Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP, announced several measures to restore consumer confidence in the biofuels market when releasing the report of the Biofuels Taskforce in September 2005.