Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Can the minister confirm that small businesses will see a $275 reduction in their energy bills by 2025?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. We all know, as I said in this place last week, that small businesses are facing challenges, and one of them is rising electricity prices because, of course, you didn't have the guts to tell them prior to the election that you were going to put up their electricity prices. The former minister over here actually hid, deliberately hid—made a deliberate decision not to tell small businesses that their power prices were going to increase because of your government's inaction over the last decade.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume her seat. I remind her to direct her comments through the chair.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance. It was a very narrow question. It specifically asked, 'Will small business see a $275 reduction in their energy bills?'—a very narrow question.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to resume her seat. The minister is entitled to a preamble to the question. She's done that. I draw her to the question.

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think I've answered the question. Those opposite are the ones that hid increasing electricity prices from small businesses prior to the election.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and ask her to state the point of order.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I seek leave to table the Labor Party's Powering Australia plan, mentioned twice already by the Prime Minister in question time, which specifically refers to $275 a year in relief.

Leave not granted.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition may resume her seat. So that all members are clear, particularly new members: if a document is to be tabled, the minister must refer to that document. She didn't refer to that in an answer, so that is not a point of order.