Senator Brown asked the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 8 December:

(1)  What information does the Minister have concerning a new power plant being built near the village of Pemaron in Bali, Indonesia, by the state-owned electricity company PLN (Perusahan Listrik Negara), using a refurbished diesel and gas powered generator.

(2)  What are the environmental and social impacts of this development, including potential oil spills, discharge of hot water into the ocean, and the cost of oil-fired power generation.

(3)  What assistance, including advice and funding, has the Government provided to Bali to help develop sustainable energy supplies, including renewable energy.

(4)  (a) Have any Australian companies operating in Bali received assistance from Australian Government agencies; and (b) what environmental standards were they required to meet as a condition of such assistance, including for energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.

(5)  Given that Australian tourists account for a significant proportion of the energy demand in Bali, what action will the Minister take to convey to Bali authorities concerns about the Pemaron power plant; and (b) what assistance will be offered to develop environmentally-sound alternatives.

Senator Hill —The following answer has been provided by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to the honourable member's question:

(1)  and (5) This is a matter for the Indonesian Government.

(2)  This is a matter for the Indonesian Government to determine.

(3)  None.

(4)  (a)  Australian officials have provided advice on consular issues and business regulation to Australian companies.

(b)  All companies operating in Bali must abide by Indonesian laws.