George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Dastyari, get out of the political playground for once! For goodness sake! We have, as I have assured you through many question times since the middle of the year, embarked on a careful, methodical consideration of the policy options and, as I said a moment ago, we have sought the advice of the people with the most direct specialist knowledge of the operation of the Australian energy market: the Energy Security Board, the Australian Energy Market Operator and the Australian Energy Market Commission. And it is their advice that we will actually achieve best results in terms of reducing the cost of electricity to households through the National Energy Guarantee, the policy announced by the Prime Minister in the last hour, than we would through a clean energy target. So, Senator Dastyari, that's the way the coalition makes policy: we consult the relevant experts and we make evidence based decisions upon their advice.