Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

Perhaps I could say that we on this side of the House agree that Australians have looked and will continue to look to the government to do more to assist on household energy bills. The work is far from done. We've delivered three rounds of energy bill relief, but we recognise that, around the world, including in Australia, power prices have been higher than anyone would like. Of course we do. That's why we have taken such action. That's why, for example, after the election, I announced a very significant change to the default market offer—a review to effectively change the way the default market offer works—to put Australian households at the centre, to prioritise Australian households, to stop sneaky price hikes by retailers. For example, there can be only one price rise a year, to prevent customers charged more than the standing offer price if their initial low-cost offer changes. That's the sort of thing we did last term and will continue to do this term.

Now, it's true that the Australian people knew what we took to the 2022 election. They knew what we did in the last term. They knew the challenges we faced with global headlines. They knew that and they cast judgement 3 May.

The then Leader of the Opposition said at the last election:

I'm very happy for the election to be a referendum on energy, on nuclear, on power prices, on lights going out, on who has a sustainable pathway for our country going forward.

That's what the then Leader of the Opposition called for, campaigning across the country, including on several occasions in my own electorate. I campaigned in his electorate, to be fair. I was satisfied with the result in both. The Australian people had a choice. We accept that result. We accept it with humility. I'd encourage those opposite to do the same.

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