David Batt (Hinkler, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. Christine from Bundaberg North is a resident in my electorate of Hinkler. Christine is 74 years old and, due to rising electricity prices and rent, has been forced to return to work at a local supermarket just to get by. Will the minister explain why Christine's electricity bill has not been reduced by $275, as promised 97 times?

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

I thank the honourable member for his first question in the House. What the honourable member would be well advised to let Christine know is why his party voted three times against energy bill relief for her. That would be a useful thing for the honourable gentleman to communicate to Christine.

We say to Christine: we know that your energy bill is high. That's why we worked so hard to bring it down; that's why we worked so hard on three rounds of energy bill relief; that's why we've worked so hard on energy market reform—so that Christine and everyone like her gets a fairer go in the energy system. That's why we are reforming the default market offer. These are all policies that we worked on in the first term of the Albanese government and are committed to—

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

Order! There is far too much noise. Member for Forrest, you've been interjecting nonstop, every single question. You'll leave the chamber under standing order 94(a) for one hour.

The member for Forrest then left the chamber.

It applies to everyone. Whether this is your first term or you've been here for many terms, simply interjecting all the time is not acceptable. We're not having it today.

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

The honourable member asked me about election commitments we made in 2022 and energy prices over that term. That's fair, and that was traversed well in the House in the last term as well. I pointed out that, at the last election, the Leader of the Opposition called for a referendum on energy prices, and the Australian people spoke very clearly.

But, as you know, Mr Speaker, I'm always looking for a bipartisan note to strike at the dispatch box. I'm always looking for a point of agreement—partisanship does not come naturally to me. So I'm pleased to be able to report that I am able to agree with the shadow minister for energy. I'm able to approvingly quote him, because, after question time yesterday, the shadow minister for energy went on Sky News and said: 'What we've said is we went to the last election with an energy policy. The Australian people have said they supported the approach that was made by the Albanese Labor government and the policies they took to the last election.' I could haven't said it better myself. The member for Wannon has made a fair point. We made commitments in the 2022 election; we sought to implement those; the Australian people cast judgement about that on 3 May. We will continue with the instruction the Australian people gave us—that is, to continue with the work of delivering the cheapest, most reliable and cleanest form of energy, which is renewables.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order!

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

They are triggered every time we mention renewable energy—I understand that. They are prejudiced against renewable energy, but the Australian people are showing with the decisions they are making each day, in their take-up of the Albanese Labor government's Cheaper Home Batteries Program and in the instructions they are giving the Australian government, that they want us to keep on with that job.