Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Minister, what is the average monthly household power bill today, and what was it when Labor took office three years ago?

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

I thank the honourable Leader of the Opposition for the question. It varies from state to state. In New South Wales the average wholesale price today is $127.72. The average at the election was $320.48. In Queensland the average today is $107.39. The average on election day was $347.28. In South Australia the average today is $185. 27. The average on election day was $312.30.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I was asked the question, Mr Speaker.

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

Order on my right. Members on my right—the member for Aston will cease interjecting.

The member for Herbert is not helping. He won't be here to hear anything else if he keeps that up. The Leader of the Opposition is going to be heard in silence when she raises her point of order.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance: despite the rapid-fire delivery from the minister, it is clear that he is giving wholesale prices, not household prices. The question was about retail prices, and he does know the difference.

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

Order. Just before we go too far down this road, I'm just reminding the Leader of the Opposition, to assist me and to assist the House, that it's not an opportunity to add extra things. It's just to get up and state the point of order. The point of order that she took was obviously about relevance. The minister was asked about average household power bill prices. He is giving information to the House. There was too much noise, and it will greatly assist the House if I can concentrate on the minister's answer. He's less than a minute in. I will ask him to be directly relevant to the question he was asked about and, where possible, provide the information to the House.

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

Certainly, Mr Speaker; thank you. Obviously, the honourable member asked me about power prices. I'm providing her, the Leader of the Opposition—

Opposition members interjecting—

The Leader of the Opposition asked specifically about prices today compared to election day, and I'm providing that. In Victoria the average household—wholesale price today is 126.83. On election day, it was $233.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! No. The Leader of the Nationals.

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

The Leader of the Opposition asked about power prices, and I say—

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

No, the minister will pause. The Leader of the Nationals has had a very good go this week. I'm going to ask him to cease interjecting. It's his voice I hear more than anyone else's. Minister, return to the question.

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

Perhaps I could say that we on this side of the House agree that Australians have looked and will continue to look to the government to do more to assist on household energy bills. The work is far from done. We've delivered three rounds of energy bill relief, but we recognise that, around the world, including in Australia, power prices have been higher than anyone would like. Of course we do. That's why we have taken such action. That's why, for example, after the election, I announced a very significant change to the default market offer—a review to effectively change the way the default market offer works—to put Australian households at the centre, to prioritise Australian households, to stop sneaky price hikes by retailers. For example, there can be only one price rise a year, to prevent customers charged more than the standing offer price if their initial low-cost offer changes. That's the sort of thing we did last term and will continue to do this term.

Now, it's true that the Australian people knew what we took to the 2022 election. They knew what we did in the last term. They knew the challenges we faced with global headlines. They knew that and they cast judgement 3 May.

The then Leader of the Opposition said at the last election:

I'm very happy for the election to be a referendum on energy, on nuclear, on power prices, on lights going out, on who has a sustainable pathway for our country going forward.

That's what the then Leader of the Opposition called for, campaigning across the country, including on several occasions in my own electorate. I campaigned in his electorate, to be fair. I was satisfied with the result in both. The Australian people had a choice. We accept that result. We accept it with humility. I'd encourage those opposite to do the same.