Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Education and Training) Share this | Hansard source

While the Turnbull government deals with generation issues and while we deal with energy market issues and while we deal with ensuring that the retail market functions far more efficiently and effectively in the future, those opposite continue to stand, it seems, by a policy platform of renewable energy targets that spells out targets but with no details of the cost impact for Australian businesses or Australian households and just what they would do to drive up energy prices. Their stated policy is still to kickstart the retirement of base load generators around the country, when we've seen that, when they do retire quickly, abruptly, it has a negative price impact on the market.

That's the reason that one of our government's reforms is to ensure that, if there are any closures in the future, there is an orderly process to those closures and that there is at least a three-year notice period. Those opposite allegedly want to kickstart those closures—something that would put prices up and reliability down, and hurt job security for many Australians. (Time expired)