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

Senator Hanson-Young, with respect, I think you're letting yourself get a little carried away with the rhetoric. We make no apologies whatsoever for adopting an energy policy that will make electricity prices as affordable as possible for the Australian people—unlike those opposite, under whose period in government electricity prices rose by 101 per cent—and we make no apologies as well for ensuring the reliability of supply. Senator Hanson-Young, you come from the state of South Australia, where the very result of the ideological, theological attitude to energy policy saw that state go into blackout, because the state Labor government didn't get the energy mix right. And we are fearful that, as a result of the ideological approach of state Labor governments in South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, the same mistake will happen this summer as well. (Time expired)