George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I will take that interjection, Senator Wong. What we have in fact done is—together, by the way, with state Labor governments—through COAG, commission a comprehensive review by Australia's chief scientist, Professor Alan Finkel, into the future of energy policy. We have already adopted 49 of the 50 recommendations of the Finkel report and will shortly be announcing our response to the one outstanding recommendation. Secondly, through you, Mr President, Senator Carr, what the government has done has been to engage directly with industry: first, with the gas industry to very, very good effect; and now with the electricity retailers. And, far from having a cup of tea with them, Senator Carr, what the Prime Minister, the Minister for the Environment and Energy, the Treasurer and the Deputy Prime Minister discussed with the CEOs yesterday was ways in which they can make the market much more transparent for consumers in particular by enabling consumers to be better informed as to how they can move their arrangements for their electricity bills onto the lowest-cost basis possible. The transparency of electricity pricing is an important part of the problem, and for you, Senator Carr, to regard this as having nothing more than a cup of tea is not, with respect, a flippancy the Australian people will respect.