MEDIA RELEASE - COALITION CALLS FOR ED HUSIC TO FRONT PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO $1 BILLION PSIQUANTUM DEAL

PAUL FLETCHER MP 

Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy 

Shadow Minister for Science and the Arts 

Manager of Opposition Business in the House

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 11 September 2024

The Opposition is calling for there to be a parliamentary Select Committee to scrutinise the shambolic and unorthodox process that led to the Albanese Labor Government investing almost $1 billion of taxpayers’ money into American company PsiQuantum.

A Notice of Motion has been tabled in the House of Representatives to uncover the truth about this significant investment, which has been cloaked in secrecy since it was announced in April.

The Motion calls for Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic to appear as a witness before the Committee.

Shadow Minister for Science Paul Fletcher said there are a multitude of questions about the PsiQuantum deal and there is an urgent need for a comprehensive review.

“Evidence unearthed during Senate Estimates and through freedom of information requests reveals this deal to be a captain’s pick, with a reverse engineered process designed to benefit one American company,” Mr Fletcher said.

“A parliamentary inquiry has powers to compel witnesses and is needed to get to the bottom of this investment and find out what went wrong and who is responsible.

“Ed Husic says he welcomes more scrutiny. He can honour his word by voting in support of this Motion and urging his Labor colleagues to do the same.” 

The Committee would provide its final report by 1 March 2025.