Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The government has always said carbon pricing would affect electricity prices that families pay and that effect would be 10 per cent. It is 10 per cent, and because we knew that there would be that price flow-through we have provided tax cuts, family payment increases and pension increases. What that means is that on average families will see assistance of $10.10. The costs that they will see for electricity are $3.30 a week, the average assistance $10.10 a week.

Of course, people have struggled with electricity price rises—the 50, 60 or 70 per cent that have proceeded because of the nature of the current electricity market and decisions taken by state governments. I am very concerned about the impact of that on Australian families, pensioners and people with fixed incomes and we intend to act on that.

Of course, the Leader of the Opposition has described that as a furphy, in stark contrast to what is being said by his state colleagues.

So we will act on electricity price rises that have come without any real assistance for people. The Leader of the Opposition well knows that carbon pricing has a flow-through impact for electricity—heavens above, he used to be in favour of it.

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