House debates

Thursday, 9 February 2023

Questions without Notice

Energy

3:03 pm

Photo of Dan TehanDan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Alan; his wife, Maureen; and their 56-year-old son with a disability, David, in my electorate of Wannon were told last month that their energy bill will increase by approximately $1,360 over the next 12 months. Prime Minister, why do Australian families always pay more under Labor?

3:04 pm

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | | Hansard source

NESE (—) (): I thank the member for Wannon for his question. We're still none the wiser as to what his portfolio is!

I'm happy to receive the question, but the questioner would have more credibility if he had voted in favour of energy price relief. He had an opportunity to vote for lower prices; he voted for higher prices. I note AGL's statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, he voted for higher prices, and I note AGL's statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, notably:

… the impact of government intervention contributed to a sharp decline in forward electricity prices.

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Wannon, on a point of order?

Photo of Dan TehanDan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | | Hansard source

No. I seek leave to table a letter from Alan to the Minister for Energy and Climate pointing out that his bill will go up by $1,300 and—

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Is leave granted?

Opposition members interjecting

Order! Members on my left will cease interjecting. I call the Leader of the House.

Photo of Mr Tony BurkeMr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | | Hansard source

The procedure under standing orders for the tabling of documents during question time under practice is: if there is a document that the minister is referring to. This is not a document that the Prime Minister was referring to. Leave's not granted, and it's not what the procedure's there for.

Photo of Milton DickMilton Dick (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

We're just going to move on. There's no point of order. I give the call to the member for Blair.