Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Just over three months ago, the Prime Minister said about the clean energy target:

… it has a lot of merit … as I say we will look at it very favourably …

His own Chief Scientist said the clean energy target was urgent and will put downward pressure on power prices. More than three months on from that report, will the government implement the clean energy target? Yes or no?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will deliver a final, completed energy policy for the long term which encourages investment, which ensures we make an orderly transition to a lower emission future and we do so in a way that uses all technologies, including coal. Member for Hunter, you don't have to write it all off. He's full of smiles today. I tell you what, there won't be a lot of smiles at the Muswellbrook Workers Club when he gets back home and they learn about his efforts to put them out of work. Oh yes! Not a rostered day off; it'll be a rostered rest of their lives off if he has his way. The member for Hunter can say to his mates there in Muswellbrook, 'Don't worry, the government will look after you; the coalition will look after you.' And we will. We have their best interests at heart, even if the member for Hunter and the member for Shortland have forgotten about them.

Mr Conroy interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Shortland has been warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Turning to the policy issue, we have already put in place important measures which are bringing down people's electricity bills in the here and now, because they're getting big discounts and getting onto the right plan. I've talked about that. I know honourable members opposite describe it as a stunt, but if you are a single mum and you're getting $300 cut from your electricity bill, that is big money; that is real money. Honourable members opposite shouldn't be so sarcastic, just because they're earning big money here in parliament. We also have the scoffer-in-chief there, the member for Maribyrnong. He's the one that described Snowy Hydro 2.0, the largest renewable project—

Mr Shorten interjecting —

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition needs to withdraw that. I've cautioned him.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whether they're scoffing about single mothers getting $300 off their electricity bill, whether they're scoffing at the largest renewable energy project to be built in Australia since the first Snowy scheme, whether they're scoffing about taking action to bring down the price of gas, they cannot escape the fact that their complacency, their incompetence and their negligence have brought these high prices to Australians and, no matter how many falsehoods they tell about us about prices, Australians know what they're up to—