Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I am sure Colin will be pleased to know that the decisions he is taking about the electricity industry are judged by the Leader of the Opposition here as bad decisions. I am sure Eric Ripper will have fun with that one in the Western Australian parliament when it convenes on these matters. The Leader of the Opposition talked about the impact on gas and electricity prices. They have been the subject of detailed responses by me and other ministers here at the dispatch box based on the Treasury modelling. On the question of the impact on prices, there is one key element missing in this whole debate—that is, the hidden pricing regime of those opposite. When Senator Joyce, who has been the subject of some discussion in recent days, was asked about the impact of what would happen to the opposition penalties regime for non-compliant businesses he indicated that those penalties would apply to business. And if penalties are applied to business as a cost to business then guess what happens? The prices get passed on to consumers. That is the hidden penalty price regime contained in their policy—

See this speech in context