Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Finally, we've got a more appropriate title for the member for McMahon, Mr Chris Bowen. He'd now officially known as the part-time energy minister. It happens to be a role he is very well prepared for, because he's already had a part-time approach, let's face it. He's delivered a part-time energy grid and full-time power price pain for Australian families and Australian businesses. Australians are paying an awfully high price for Labor's wrong priorities and their broken promises on energy. Let's remember those three promises that Labor took to the 2022 election: 82 per cent renewables in the grid by 2030, 43 per cent emissions reduction from 2005 levels and, of course, the infamous but never spoken of again $275 cut to electricity bills by the end of 2025. Goodness me, we're getting close, aren't we?

Well, the government has failed on all three. Eighty-two per cent of renewables in the grid is well off track. Every credible expert forecasts that, even in the most optimistic scenario, we're now looking at around 65 per cent, and the rollout is only at half the pace that is needed. Industry is crying out for gas more than anything else. After emissions went up under this government, they are now only back at 28 per cent of 2005 levels. That is the same level as when the coalition left office 3½ years ago. Most offensively to Australians, power prices are up 40 per cent. Your bills have increased 40 per cent under this government, and an Australian household is paying on average around $1,300 more on their energy bills in a year than Labor promised. It really is a trifecta of failures under this minister—prices up, reliability down and emissions flat-lined.

You would think with that record that the energy minister would take his job a bit more seriously—but no. Instead, what we've seen and what we learnt last week is that the Australian government has spent $7 million for the privilege of losing a bid to host COP31. That's $7 million gone, and not a single family is better off for it. According to Labor, though, we shouldn't worry, because we've got this fabulous consolation prize. We should all be so proud. Mr Bowen is going to be the president for negotiations for COP. What a title that is! How extraordinary! What an honour! To be fair to my colleagues on the other side of the chamber, I understand why it's viewed as a prize, because it might mean that the member for McMahon has to spend a little less time here answer questions about his failed policy and his failure to deliver the $275 he convinced not only all of Australia of but all his colleagues of as well. The fact is that Australia's energy minister taking on this role will not make energy any cheaper. The only winner out of this is Chris Bowen's CV. While the minister racks up more photos for his Instagram—a selfie with Greta, maybe—Australian households and businesses will be left to deal with more expensive energy bills and an unreliable energy grid.

Since Labor came to power, 1,900 manufacturing businesses have closed their doors, like Qenos plastics, Incitec Pivot Fertilisers and Oceania Glass in my home state of Victoria. Now, of course, we're talking about Tomago Aluminium at risk of closure or headed for a billion-dollar taxpayer funded bailout just to keep the thousand jobs that this vital industry provides. In 2024, COSBOA surveyed small businesses and found that 34 per cent have experienced financial strain paying their energy bills—that's a figure that's higher than it was during the pandemic—and 45 per cent were concerned about their future energy bills. When it comes to Australian families who were holding out for that $275 cut, there are actually 200,000 Australian families now who are on hardship plans with energy providers because of those rising energy costs.

Australians don't need an energy minister with two jobs; they would just like him to have one, and to do it well. Do what was promised. Fix the energy crisis in this country. It really is only ever Labor that could give us a part-time energy minister during a full-time energy emergency. Only Labor could prioritise global summits ahead of Australian families who are suffering to keep the lights on. Labor's priorities are wrong, and Australians are still paying that price.