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Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions)

Current status

This bill became law on Dec 10th, 2024.

Policy area

Climate, energy & environment

What does this bill do?

The Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. can now use its existing climate-law powers to run the new Guarantee of Origin certification rules alongside its other climate programs.

Why was it introduced?

The new Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. created an implementation gap because existing climate, audit and renewable electricity laws did not yet let the Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. run GOA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. audits or align storage and certificate rules. This bill updates those laws so the regulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. can administer the scheme, use existing auditors, and avoid conflicting electricity and certificate obligations.

Broader context

Australia already had climate reporting, renewable electricity certificate and audit systems, but the new Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. needed the Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. to use those existing powers and auditors in a new way while preventing storage charging and certificate rules from colliding. This bill was introduced alongside the wider Guarantee of Origin package to close that implementation gap before the Renewable Energy TargetThe older renewable electricity certificate system that the new scheme is designed to sit alongside and eventually replace for accreditation purposes.’s accreditation arrangements end in 2030, and it became law in December 2024 so the new certification system could be administered through familiar institutions.

Key criticism

The main criticism was that the bill locks the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. into a renewables-focused design that could raise energy costs, sideline other low-emissions technologies and hurt manufacturing, jobs and trade-exposed industries. That case was pushed mainly by Coalition speakers who opposed or only conditionally backed the package, while a narrower concern from Kylea Tink was that weak drafting and oversight on offsets and credits could invite greenwashingMaking a product or scheme look cleaner or more climate friendly than the rules really justify..

Who supported it?

Josh Wilson MP introduced this bill. In the House final vote, support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, some crossbench members; opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, some crossbench members.

Introduced in House 12 Sept 2024
Passed House 27 Nov 2024 Aye 89 No 53
Passed Senate 28 Nov 2024 Aye 33 No 24
Became law 10 Dec 2024

Did it become law?

Yes

Became law 10 Dec 2024

Final passage

Recorded final vote

2 counted final-passage votes were recorded.

Passage speed

89 days

From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

Meaning

What does this bill do?

  1. The Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. can now use its existing climate-law powers to run the new Guarantee of Origin certification rules alongside its other climate programs.

  2. Australia will use the existing national greenhouse and energy auditor register for Guarantee of Origin checks, so businesses will be audited through a familiar system.

  3. Electricity retailers will no longer face Renewable Energy TargetThe older renewable electricity certificate system that the new scheme is designed to sit alongside and eventually replace for accreditation purposes. liability for electricity bought to charge storage like batteries when regulatory conditions are met.

  4. A small solar or other small renewable unit inside a registered Guarantee of Origin facility cannot keep creating old-style renewable certificates after the facility starts getting new Guarantee of Origin certificates.

  5. Some people with past electricity purchases that would no longer count under the updated rules will not have to file an energy acquisition statementA yearly statement some electricity users must file to report their electricity purchases under the renewable electricity rules. for that year.

Show source excerpts
  1. (ia) the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024 or legislative instruments under that Act;
    Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2024 final Act text
  2. (1) The Regulator must cause a register of greenhouse and energy auditors to be kept for the purposes of the following Acts:
    Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2024 final Act text
  3. ; or (d) the electricity is acquired for the purpose of energy storage using an energy storage system, and any other requirements prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph are met; or
    Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2024 final Act text
  4. (1AA) However, if a small generation unit is a registered renewable electricity facility (within the meaning of the Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Act 2024) or a component of such a facility, certificates cannot be created in respect of the small generation unit after the first day on which a certificate is created under that Act in relation to the facility.
    Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2024 final Act text
  5. the person is not required to lodge an energy acquisition statement for that year.
    Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2024 final Act text

Context

Broader context for this bill

Australia already had climate reporting, renewable electricity certificate and audit systems, but the new Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. needed the Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. to use those existing powers and auditors in a new way while preventing storage charging and certificate rules from colliding. This bill was introduced alongside the wider Guarantee of Origin package to close that implementation gap before the Renewable Energy TargetThe older renewable electricity certificate system that the new scheme is designed to sit alongside and eventually replace for accreditation purposes.’s accreditation arrangements end in 2030, and it became law in December 2024 so the new certification system could be administered through familiar institutions.

  1. 12 Sept 2024

    Government introduces the Guarantee of Origin package

    The government brought forward a three-bill package to create a national certification scheme for low-emissions products and renewable electricity under the Future Made in Australia agenda.

    Australian Parliament House ↗
  2. 12 Sept 2024

    Consequential amendments bill closes the implementation gap

    The second reading speech said the bill would let the Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. run the new scheme and align existing climate, audit and renewable electricity laws with it.

    Hansard ↗
  3. 28 Nov 2024

    Parliament passes the bill

    Both houses passed the bill in the same form, clearing the way for the related Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. to be administered through existing institutions.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  4. 10 Dec 2024

    Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. makes the changes law

    Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. turned the bill into an Act, formally enabling the legislative changes needed for audits, certificate treatment and transitional reporting rules.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  5. 2030

    Renewable Energy TargetThe older renewable electricity certificate system that the new scheme is designed to sit alongside and eventually replace for accreditation purposes. accreditation arrangements are due to end

    The second reading speech said the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. is intended to succeed the accreditation and certification arrangements provided under the Renewable Energy TargetThe older renewable electricity certificate system that the new scheme is designed to sit alongside and eventually replace for accreditation purposes. after 2030.

    Hansard ↗

Legislative route

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 12 Sept 2024

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 12 Sept 2024

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (31/10/2024) review 12 Sept 2024

Referred to Committee (12/09/2024): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (31/10/2024)

Referred to committee

APH bill page notes
Second reading debate 09 Oct 2024

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Second reading debate 27 Nov 2024

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

House agreed to amendment packages 27 Nov 2024

The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.

Consideration in detail debate

House third reading agreed Aye 89 No 53 27 Nov 2024

Recorded vote: 89 to 53.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Introduced 28 Nov 2024

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 28 Nov 2024

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Senate second reading agreed Aye 33 No 23 28 Nov 2024

Recorded vote: 33 to 23.

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Senate third reading agreed Aye 33 No 24 28 Nov 2024

Recorded vote: 33 to 24.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Passed both houses 28 Nov 2024

Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.

Finally passed both Houses

Assent 10 Dec 2024

The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.

Key criticism

The main case against this bill

The main criticism was that the bill locks the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. into a renewables-focused design that could raise energy costs, sideline other low-emissions technologies and hurt manufacturing, jobs and trade-exposed industries. That case was pushed mainly by Coalition speakers who opposed or only conditionally backed the package, while a narrower concern from Kylea Tink was that weak drafting and oversight on offsets and credits could invite greenwashingMaking a product or scheme look cleaner or more climate friendly than the rules really justify..

Criticism was real but split between broad energy-policy objections and narrower integrity concerns.

Not technology-neutral and may distort industry

Critics argued the bill helps entrench a renewables-only or preferred-technology model instead of a genuinely technology-neutral Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced.. They warned this means government is picking winners, excluding some existing or alternative low-emissions energy sources, and designing a scheme that may not match major overseas frameworks.

Raised by Coalition speakers including Ted O'Brien, Sam Birrell, Michael McCormack and James Stevens Source ↗

Could add costs and hurt manufacturing and jobs

Opponents said the bill sits within an energy approach that could keep power expensive or unreliable, add scheme complexity and push costs onto industry and electricity users. They argued that would weaken Australia's manufacturing push, threaten regional jobs and disadvantage farmers and trade-exposed businesses.

Raised by Barnaby Joyce, Michael McCormack, Sam Birrell and David Gillespie Source ↗

Risk of weak safeguards and greenwashing

A narrower criticism was that the scheme needs clearer rules in primary legislation, stronger scrutiny and better consultation on offsets and below-baseline credits. Without that, the certification system could lose integrity and allow greenwashingMaking a product or scheme look cleaner or more climate friendly than the rules really justify. rather than giving buyers clear confidence in what a certificate means.

Raised by Kylea Tink Source ↗

Further sources

parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗

Votes

Recorded votes

How the bill itself passed

The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.

Carried

House passed the bill

Aye 89 No 53

Passed 89 to 53. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

27 Nov 2024

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 65 / 0
Unknown 15 / 22
Liberal Party 0 / 19
Nationals 0 / 12
Independent 7 / 0
Greens 1 / 0
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Carried

Senate passed the bill

Aye 33 No 24

Passed 33 to 24. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and UAP. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

28 Nov 2024

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Liberal Party 0 / 16
Labor 15 / 0
Greens 11 / 0
Unknown 4 / 4
Nationals 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1

Earlier bill-stage votes

Carried

House cleared second reading

Aye 89 No 53

Passed 89 to 53. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

27 Nov 2024

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 65 / 0
Unknown 15 / 22
Liberal Party 0 / 19
Nationals 0 / 12
Independent 7 / 0
Greens 1 / 0
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Carried

Senate cleared second reading

Aye 33 No 23

Passed 33 to 23. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and UAP. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

28 Nov 2024

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 15 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 15
Greens 11 / 0
Unknown 4 / 4
Nationals 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1

Amendments at a glance

Amendments grouped by chamber. Where APH reports aggregate counts, the package card summarizes the matching public amendment sheets by source theme.

House

Defeated

Send bills to committee

Aye 62 No 75

Defeated 62 to 75. Support came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Opposition came from Labor. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

08 Oct 2024

This would have moved the package into a committee review stage instead of proceeding straight through the House.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 66
Unknown 23 / 8
Liberal Party 20 / 0
Nationals 12 / 0
Independent 7 / 1
Carried

Double-counting amendments adopted

Aye 89 No 53

Passed 89 to 53. Support came from Labor, Greens, Centre Alliance, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

27 Nov 2024

These amendments added the double-counting provisions that appear in the as-passed text.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 65 / 0
Unknown 15 / 22
Liberal Party 0 / 19
Nationals 0 / 12
Independent 7 / 0
Greens 1 / 0
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Carried

Government package: 2 amendments

Government amendments would alter the bill text to stop the same electricity being counted under both the Guarantee of Origin scheme and existing renewable energy certificate rules.

27 Nov 2024

Passed on the voices

The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.

Themes in the public amendment sheets

Senate

Carried

Package support-rule amendments adopted

Aye 33 No 24

Passed 33 to 24. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and UAP. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

28 Nov 2024

This was a package-level amendment vote and should not be read as a textual amendment to this short consequential-amendments bill.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Liberal Party 0 / 16
Labor 15 / 0
Greens 10 / 0
Unknown 4 / 4
Nationals 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1
Defeated

Crossbench package amendments defeated

The Senate defeated, on voices, remaining amendments on sheet 2872 and amendments on sheets 2871, 2901 and 2997.

Defeated on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

Defeated

Further package amendments defeated

The Senate defeated, on voices, remaining amendments on sheets 2880 and 2881 and amendments on sheets 2878 and 2879.

Defeated on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.

Parliamentary debate

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Josh Wilson

Australian Labor Party • MP 12 Sept 2024

Wilson supports the bill and says it is needed to make the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. start on time by putting the Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. and related laws in place.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead opposing voice Opposes

Barnaby Joyce

National Party • MP 27 Nov 2024

Joyce opposes the bill, arguing that Australia cannot build a manufacturing future while power is unreliable and too expensive.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead supporting voice Supports

Kylea Tink

Independent • MP 27 Nov 2024

Tink says the House should support the bill because the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. is a welcome part of the energy transition and is supported by her community.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead voice Mixed

Ted O'Brien

Liberal Party • MP 09 Oct 2024

O'Brien says the coalition will not block the bill, but it only has support in principle because Labor has turned a sensible hydrogen tracking scheme into a renewables-only scheme that is too ideological and lacks the technology neutrality he wants.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Labor

1 speaker · 1 support

  1. Josh Wilson ★ Wilson supports the bill and says it is needed to make the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. start on time by putting the Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that will administer the new scheme and use its existing climate-law powers to run audits and certification rules. and related laws in place.
    “The amendments in this bill will ensure the timely commencement of the Guarantee of Origin scheme, which in turn means that Australian companies will start benefiting as soon as possible from the opportunities that the scheme provides.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 12 Sept 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Coalition

6 speakers · 5 oppose · 1 mixed

  1. Ted O'Brien ★ O'Brien says the coalition will not block the bill, but it only has support in principle because Labor has turned a sensible hydrogen tracking scheme into a renewables-only scheme that is too ideological and lacks the technology neutrality he wants.
    “You see, Deputy Speaker, this is the very problem we have with the bills that are before the House. Labor have taken what should be a bipartisan approach to establishing a guarantee of origin scheme specific to hydrogen, and they have applied their all-eggs-in-one-basket, renewables-only dogma, and they have fundamentally changed the intent of this scheme. The intent itself, I must say, I agree with. The intent itself, at a very high level, is to establish a guarantee of origin scheme for hydrogen—one that allows the tracking and verification of emissions for that product so that buyers and sellers in the marketplace can understand from where that product comes and its emissions profile. At that level, there is no problem with this scheme. But in the detail, where Labor has applied their renewables-only dogma, it all goes wrong.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 09 Oct 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Barnaby Joyce ★ Joyce opposes the bill, arguing that Australia cannot build a manufacturing future while power is unreliable and too expensive.
    “When it comes to manufacturing, no-one is going to come here and set up a factory if you can't even keep your air conditioner on. No-one is going to take you seriously if you've got the highest power prices in the world. No-one's even going to look at you. You can have all the bills you want, but, until you decide to get the fundamentals right, it's just a narrative. It's just rhetoric.”

    National Party • MP • 27 Nov 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Sam Birrell Sam Birrell says the opposition will not support the bill because it is too narrowly focused on green hydrogen and other preferred technologies, which he says amounts to picking winners.
    “What this bill does is put all our eggs in one basket. It's very focused on green hydrogen and it's very focused on some other things. Like a lot of the government's investments, it's very ideologically narrowly focused. I worry that, if some of those things don't take off or if technology goes off in a way that we didn't predict, we are not going to be in the game globally. That's frightening for Australia and it's frightening for the people of the Goulburn Valley. If those businesses that I started out with in this address leave our shores, there'll be a lot of people in my electorate who won't have jobs anymore. If those people don't have jobs, they won't have money. Their living standards will go back even further than they have done. So we really have to focus on making sure we protect Australia's manufacturing future, and this bill is not it.”

    National Party • MP • 27 Nov 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Michael McCormack McCormack opposes the bill, arguing it is part of Labor’s push toward a renewable-heavy scheme that is not technology agnostic and could raise costs, risk jobs, and disadvantage farmers and industry.
    “But this particular bill and this package of bills are not good.”

    National Party • MP • 27 Nov 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. James Stevens James Stevens says the coalition will not support the bill and backs the second reading amendment instead, arguing the government has produced the wrong version of a guarantee of origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced..
    “It is very regrettable that, again, the government are not open to the people having their say on a matter like that through this legislation. So, indeed, I support the second reading amendment from the member for Fairfax. We don't support this bill for all the reasons outlined. I commend the member for Fairfax's amendment to the House.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 27 Nov 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. David Gillespie David Gillespie says he cannot support the bill because he sees it as another renewable subsidy scheme that will add complexity and cost to electricity bills.
    “This is a very interesting bill, to say the least. I hate to disappoint listeners and members in this chamber, but I can't support it, because of the reasons I'll outline. The Future Made in Australia (Guarantee of Origin) Bill 2024 and associated bills are really quite extensive, but, on reading an analysis guided by the investigative powers of the Parliamentary Library, it has confirmed my worst fears. This is another renewable subsidy boondoggle.”

    National Party • MP • 27 Nov 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Minor parties and independents

1 speaker · 1 support

  1. Kylea Tink ★ Tink says the House should support the bill because the Guarantee of Origin schemeA new certification system that tracks what low-emissions product or renewable electricity a business says it has produced. is a welcome part of the energy transition and is supported by her community.
    “In summary, the Guarantee of Origin scheme could play a really important role in Australia's energy transition and create an enduring renewables certification framework to empower the purchaser to purchase green energy, with the inclusion of energy attributes giving customers choice about the type of certificate they want to purchase. It's a welcome move—one supported by my community of North Sydney. But, to get it right and ensure the scheme is not used to facilitate greenwashing, it is critical there is proper scrutiny of the rules and regulations that will govern the operation of the Guarantee of Origin scheme. While it's appropriate for highly technical matters to be included in delegated legislation, I urge the government to ensure proper and detailed consultation on the rules and methodologies underpinning this scheme, to explicitly rule out the use of offsets and to make clear the government position on below-baseline credits within the primary legislation.”

    Independent • MP • 27 Nov 2024

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Record

Full record

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