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Status: Unanswered
Asked by: Senator the Hon. Matthew Canavan
Portfolio: Foreign Affairs and Trade
Agency: Export Finance Australia
Round: 2026-27 Budget estimates
Question No: 199
Asked: 4 June 2026
Answer due: 23 July 2026

Question

Senator CANAVAN: I've got some questions about PsiQuantum. Have PsiQuantum been provided with support through the National Interest Account? Mr Hopkins : Yes, they have. Senator CANAVAN: How much is the value of that support? Mr Hopkins : I think it's totalling around $465-odd million, made up of equity and debt. Senator CANAVAN: How much is debt, and how much is equity? Mr Hopkins : It's US$125 million in equity and the remainder in debt-A$275 million. Senator CANAVAN: And how much has been drawn down? Mr Hopkins : We've made the $125 million equity investment, and the loan is yet to be drawn down. Senator CANAVAN: I've got a quote here-I'm not sure if it's Budget Paper No. 1 or your budget paper. It says the value of outstanding loans is estimated to be $183.6 million, with further loan funding of $275 million still to be drawn down. Does that mean none of it is drawn down? Ms Copping : What that might be referring to is-the equity investment is in the form of a convertible note. Senator CANAVAN: Okay. What's the interest rate on the loan? Ms Copping : The interest rate on the convertible note is 5.12 per cent. Then the interest rate on the loan is BBSY plus 4.8 per cent. Senator CANAVAN: And what are the loan terms? Ms Copping : I'm not sure-this is a transaction that has quite tight confidentiality requirements. Senator CANAVAN: Can you take that on notice. Ms Copping : We'll take on notice what we can say in relation to that. Senator CANAVAN: Going back to the start of this-I asked questions on this way, way back, but not many-who first approached Export Finance Australia about funding PsiQuantum? Mr Hopkins : My understanding is it was DISR. Senator CANAVAN: When was that? When did that first happen? Mr Hopkins : I'd have to get you the details of the exact timing, but we're happy to provide those details on notice. Senator CANAVAN: Can we also get all correspondence between PsiQuantum and any associated parties, consultants or lobbyists and yourselves and the then minister between 1 June 2022 and 30 April 2024? Mr Hopkins : Could you clarify that again? Senator CANAVAN: I'm happy to. It'll be on the record; I'm asking for it on notice, so I'm not expecting you to do it right now. The correspondence between PsiQuantum and associated parties such as consultants or lobbyists and yourselves, Export Finance Australia, and/or the minister between 1 June 2022 and 30 April 2024. That'll all be on Hansard, I'm sure. Did Export Finance Australia have any involvement in meetings between ministers and PsiQuantum in the United States, particularly in California in January 2023? Mr Hopkins : No. Senator CANAVAN: What about any other meetings between the minister and yourselves and PsiQuantum? Have you ever been involved in that? Mr Hopkins : No. Well, I can speak for myself and my executive team. Senator CANAVAN: Maybe take that on notice. Mr Hopkins : We'll check for you, but certainly not at a senior level.

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