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

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. On 97 occasions prior to the election, the Labor Party promised to cut electricity bills by $275. Now we are told that prices will increase by up to 50 per cent. Minister, with the Energy Regulator saying people are using solar fairy lights in their houses and ice bricks in their eskies because they can't afford their power bills, why won't you apologise—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Order! The deputy leader will resume his seat. I specifically said I wanted the deputy leader heard in silence. There is far too much noise on my right. I cannot hear the question. I'm sure the minister can't hear the question. I'm going to ask her to state the question again.

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

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. On 97 occasions prior to the election, the Labor Party promised to cut electricity bills by $275. Now we are told that prices will increase by 50 per cent. Minister, with the Energy Regulator saying people are using fairy lights in their houses and ice bricks in their eskies because they can't afford their power bills, will you apologise to struggling Australians for shamelessly misleading them?

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

I can confirm that the Australian Energy Regulator is advising ministers, federal and state, that the energy market and energy prices continue to be under pressure because of the war in Ukraine and also because of 10 years of denial and delay. Four gigawatts of power came off under them. Four gigawatts came off and only one gigawatt came on.

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

Order! The minister has been going for 22 seconds.

I haven't given you the call.

Opposition members interjecting—

When members on my left cease interjecting, I will give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance, Mr Speaker. The government made a promise of $275—

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

Resume your seat. That is not a point of order.

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

I can also confirm the Australian Energy Regulator gave similar advice to my predecessor, now the shadow Treasurer—advice that in New South Wales residential prices would go up $227 or, for a New South Wales small business, $1,130. But the difference is I can confirm this government will not hide the facts from the Australian people as my predecessor did. I can confirm I won't be changing the law to hide that fact from the Australian people as the member for Hume shamefully did. I will also confirm that we'll be getting on with the job of delivering cheaper energy—

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

The Leader of the Nationals will cease interjecting.

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

because the cheapest form of energy is renewable energy. We'll be getting on with that like last week, when the Prime Minister announced the largest investment in energy by a federal government since Ben Chifley was the Prime Minister of Australia and he announced the original Snowy Mountains scheme. When the Prime Minister announced the investment in the Marinus Link—

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

The Manager of Opposition Business will cease interjecting.

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

and in renewable energy in Victoria and Tasmania, because we know that we need to upgrade the electricity grid, what did the opposition say about that? The shadow minister issued a release saying that this was a sweetheart deal between us and the Victorian government. This was an announcement made by the Prime Minister and me in Hobart with the Liberal Premier of Tasmania. The shadow minister said this was a sweetheart deal with Dan Andrews. He wasn't there. I'm not sure where the opposition thinks the Marinus Link goes from Victoria—the Antarctic, maybe! I'm really not sure what they think. We don't know what they think about many things. We know what this government's getting on with: the task of rebuilding the energy system in our country after 10 years of denial and delay is what we're getting on with.