Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. For nearly six months the Prime Minister has refused to repeat his promise of a $275 reduction in household power bills. Now that the government's own budget papers forecast an over 50 per cent increase in power prices, isn't it time the Prime Minister came clean with the Australian people? Will the Prime Minister concede he has broken his $275 promise?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The member for Durack was heard in silence, and now the Prime Minister will be heard in silence.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks very much, Mr Speaker. I'm sure I will be. I'm very confident that I will be because I'm asked about commitments given during election campaigns on electricity prices. I do know about election commitments given on electricity prices because the former government that we know, before the 2019 election, said that a re-elected Morrison government—

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

The member for O'Connor is warned.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They went on to say a 25 per cent reduction in the average wholesale electricity price. So the electricity price then was $84.25. In May of 2022, it was $286.18—an increase of $201.93. So, instead of a 25 per cent decrease, there was a 240 per cent increase. And that doesn't take into account either the further increase that was baked in where they hid, where they changed the law in order to achieve their outcome—

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

The Prime Minister will return to the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At that election, there were a range of commitments that they gave, none of which they delivered. The election commitment that we gave was to move to 82 per cent renewables, was to invest in our Rewiring the Nation plan—

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

The Prime Minister is talking about the election commitment. I'll hear from the Manager of Opposition Business. I'll ask him to state the point of order.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is on relevance. He needs to—

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

Resume your seat. The Prime Minister was in midsentence, talking about his election commitment. The question was about election commitments.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a long way to the dispatch box from over there. He's the first Manager of Opposition Business who's ever not sat there, the first Manager of Opposition Business who hasn't sat closest to the dispatch box, because you don't even have support of your leader.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The truth is that we've established a rewiring the nation plan.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Prime Minister will pause. Members on my left, I'm issuing a general warning. Questions are heard in silence, and the answers will be heard in silence. It's not a hard concept.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our Rewiring the Nation plan was a part of my first budget reply. It was provided for in last night's budget. And even before our first budget we're delivering, with deals signed by Tasmania and Victoria with the Commonwealth. In the case of the Marinus Link, we have a tripartite agreement between a Victorian Labor government, a Tasmanian Liberal government and the Commonwealth.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The Prime Minister's time is concluded. Just a reminder to the House: I do not need anyone watching the clock on my behalf.