Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister for Climate Change and Energy. This week the minister said he was 'focused like a laser on energy prices'. Minister, when will Australians see a $275 reduction in their retail power bills?

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 question. We agree; energy bills are too high. That's why we're working so hard to get them lower. That's the whole point. That's what this government understands. We're doing that by introducing more supply into the system, reversing the situation where four gigawatts of dispatchable power left the grid and only one gigawatt came on. We're reversing that and making sure more energy is connected to the system. We're providing short-term bill relief in the meantime—something we've done three times and the honourable member opposed three times. It takes some gall to oppose energy bill relief and then come in here and demand that energy bills be lower.

We recognise that energy bills are too high. We recognise there's more work to do to see that roughly 30 per cent reduction in wholesale prices in the last quarter flow through to bills. Australians aren't seeing that yet in their bills. We want to see them receive that as soon as possible. That's why we're reforming the default market offer. That's why we're introducing solar sharer—so that as many Australians as possible can access three hours of free electricity in the middle of the day. You've got to be pretty negative to oppose free electricity in the middle of the day, but they find a way. They are actually opposed to Australians having a right to free electricity. That's how negative those opposite have become. I know how hard it is in opposition. We get it. We know it's tough. But at least find something you can support. If you can't support free electricity, what can you support?