Zaneta Mascarenhas (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How is the Albanese Labor government helping households reduce their energy costs permanently. What policy proposals would distract from this progress?

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

():  I thank my honourable friend for the question. The Albanese government's cheaper home batteries policy is two months old today. It came into force on 1 July. I'm happy to tell the honourable member and the House that, in the first two months—as of today—43,695 Australian households have installed a cheaper home battery. They know and we know that that saves them, if they didn't have solar panels already, more than $2,000 a year, and, if they did have solar panels, more than $1,000 a year. Also, they have installed more than 785 megawatt hours of capacity. We are installing the same capacity as a Hornsdale big battery every week, and that puts downward pressure on prices for every single Australian.

I have good and bad news for the Western Australian members. I have good news for the member for Tangney, because his electorate now has the biggest take-up in Western Australia. That means bad news for the member for Canning, who's been knocked off the top spot. He's now in second place for take-up in Western Australia. The good people of Canning are still taking up cheaper home batteries and moving towards net zero at a rapid rate, but just second in Western Australia now, not first.

The honourable member asked me what policies could distract from this agenda and what proposals could distract from this agenda. Of course, there are many, and they all come from those opposite. We've seen today what I thought would be the rather unprecedented scene of a mover of a private member's bill requesting a member of his party to vote against it. We saw the member for New England say that the member for Canning should vote against it. This is part of the orderly and calm and considered policy process from those opposite. It reminds us that it's all about the Nationals' interest and internal politics when it comes to those opposite. I'm reminded that the member for New England was recently asked why he's proposing to abolish net zero. He went on—for the tough interview, of course—The Bolt Report. He said: 'No. 1, it's about our nation; No. 1 it's about our nation, but, for me personally, it's incredibly personal. I have to deal with it at the epicentre of New England.' He went on to say: 'I've got no interest in the sort of, oh, yeah, it might be this and it might be that. It's nothing. It's about net zero.' Well, that was very clear. I'm reminded that this is not the first rodeo for the member for New England. I'm reminded of this headline, 'Nationals win extra cabinet position for Keith Pitt as they sign up to net zero deal'. It went on to read:

Resources Minister Keith Pitt has been elevated to cabinet under a deal between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce that sees the Nationals sign up to the 2050 net zero target.

What principles! What great commitment for what they stand for! The member for New England—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! The minister's going to pause and take a breath, and we're going to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order under standing order 64. I think he is referring to Ambassador Keith Pitt, whom he appointed to the Holy See.

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

In terms of correct titles, it doesn't refer to people not in the parliament. I remind members to refer to people by the correct titles, but members of the diplomatic corps aren't in that category. The minister will return to his response for 18 seconds.

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

To assist, I table the article 'Nationals win extra cabinet position for Keith Pitt as they sign up to net zero deal'. It's just to remind them. It's all about internal politics for those opposite. It's all about the leadership of each party. It's about the Nationals' interest, not the national interest. In the meantime, we will get on with helping Australians with the choices they want to make to afford cheaper energy as a result of a cheaper home battery. (Time expired)