Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm glad to talk about the importance of how this government is working to deliver lower gas and energy prices for the Australian population, but I do so with a degree of disappointment that this opportunity has come in the form of a shambolic, hysterical, inaccurate motion put forward by the opposition, rather than not only focusing on what good work is being done and how this government is treating the issue of affordable gas as a priority but also making sure that we in this parliament reflect and understand the concerns of the people we are elected to serve and represent by giving voice to their concerns on the issues that affect them in an honest and transparent way.

That is the basis on which I will be engaging in this discussion, because, when it comes down to it, the opposition is no friend of cheaper gas prices for Australian households and industrial consumers. There is this curious attempt to whip up outrage about action taken by this government without any understanding or appreciation of the facts. Their shouting here in Canberra, like the member for Burke before me, is, frankly, embarrassingly shallow when we actually understand what is going on, particularly for Goldstein residents in the great state of Victoria, with who is selling them out in making sure that we have cheaper gas in Victoria in households and for the industrial consumers who provide the jobs that are needed to support Victoria.

Of course, the chief architect of gas shortages in Victoria is none other than the state government. We've had a constant attempt to engineer and manufacture outrageous gas prices because of ridiculous limitations and bans on actually extracting the gas that we have. The Andrews government has systemically vilified the LNG industry, with a moratorium on the exploration and development of onshore conventional gas until the end of June 2020. And it has a legislated ban on hydraulic fracturing and any other form of unconventional gas in the state.

For years now the coalition has stood up and called on the Victorian government to lift impediments on the development of the gas industry and to allow for exploration and development to put more gas into the market while also making sure that we're delivering more gas at a cheaper price and, critically, with proper environmental inspection and management to make sure that consumers know they're getting a product which will aid their state but won't be a negative on the environment—our precious environment. For years we have stood against the Andrews government in the interests of the families who fear their next bill in the letterbox and the manufacturers who are crumbling under the weight of growing electricity prices.

I see it all the time in the Goldstein electorate. We don't have much industry in the Goldstein electorate, but we do have industrious people. All across Moorabbin, Braeside and Dandenong there are so many businesses that rely on gas to be able to deliver the jobs to the people in our south-eastern community. They are telling me directly just how hard it is for them with rising gas prices and the complete indifference of the state government to their issues and their plight, and how it is undermining jobs growth in our community. It's time those on the other side of this chamber stood up and called out the Andrews government and its reckless behaviour in making sure that those businesses can't compete. When they can't afford the cost of those basic inputs, like gas, into their production, what happens is the prices go up, jobs and their competitiveness in the international market place go down and, ultimately, it suffocates jobs growth. There are so many car parts and so many diecast industries that operate across the south-east corridor of Melbourne and Victoria who are being sold out by this government because there is no understanding of the challenges they face.

But the Turnbull government gets it. That's why we put in place measures to make sure there is an increase in domestic gas supply. We actually know that, for all the gas we export to the world, we have to make sure we meet domestic demand first. We need to make sure that gas is not just accessible but that also affordable. We need to make sure that the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism delivers that outcome. But at least our focus is on what we need to do, rather than to obstruct and increase prices for households. (Time expired)

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