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

I'm simply pointing out that, recognising energy prices are too high, there is an obligation on governments and oppositions to do something about it, but we have very different plans. Our plan is more energy, and we are getting more energy on—7.7 gigawatts connected, four gigawatts off, only one gigawatt on under them. The other part of their plan is to sweat coal fired power for longer. That is their plan. They're open about it. That is unreliable. That is a threat to reliability of the system.

Today, as we speak, we have 2.9 gigawatts of coal fired power broken down. One unit at Eraring, one unit at Vales Point, two units at Yallourn and three units at Gladstone are all not working. Some of those haven't been working for weeks. That is a threat to reliability. We want to replace that energy and get more new energy on. They want that to last for longer. That means higher bills. That means more pressure on Australian families. That means more pressure on Australian industry and more pressure on rural and regional Australians. We have a better plan.

See this speech in context