Rex Patrick (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Canavan, representing the minister for the environment and energy, and relates to energy costs. Minister, I listened intently at February estimates as you boasted that there had been a significant reduction in the wholesale gas prices on the east coast of Australia and went on to say that gas prices have come down to single digits over the past year. You stated that the signing of an MOU with gas exporters was key. Last estimates, you were silent on the topic. Why was that? Was it because AEMO's most recent Quarterly energy dynamics report reveals that gas prices have increased across all markets, compared to quarter 3 of 2017, despite a reduction in demand, and that average prices in the declared wholesale gas market are the second highest on record? Isn't your one-page MOU not worth the paper it's written on, and haven't you again lost control of gas prices?