Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Youth, Senator Watt. On Tuesday night, on the 7.30 program, the Prime Minister said, 'We intend to honour our promises.' The Prime Minister promised on 3 December last year that Labor's policy 'will see electricity prices fall from the current level of $275 per household by 2025'. Minister, with young Australians impacted by cost-of-living pressures, will the government honour this promise?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, I do question whether that's an appropriate question for me—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Please resume your seat, Minister. Minister Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order in terms of the addressing of a question to a minister: I understand that the opposition used the word 'youth'. The policy which was referred to in the question is not within Minister Watt's portfolio; it's within Minister Bowen's portfolio, and that would be the appropriate minister—who is the minister representing that? It's me, I think!

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, on a point of order?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Very briefly, mindful of Senator McKim's observation: the question didn't reference a specific policy. The question referenced the promises of the now government and the now Prime Minister, and it referenced those promises in the context of cost-of-living pressures specific to young Australians. Senator Watt represents the Minister for Youth in this place and therefore should answer questions relevant to young Australians.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Birmingham. I think Senator Watt is comfortable to take the question? Minister Watt, I'm going to ask Senator Wong to confirm who the repping minister for the Minister for Youth is. Minister Wong, I'm just wishing to ascertain that the repping minister for this question is Minister Watt?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the minister wishes to—I was actually trying to be helpful to the opposition—

Opposition senators interjecting—

I know—believe it or not! I'm very happy—

Opposition senators interjecting—

If I could finish my sentence? I was just going to say: if you want to readdress the question to the appropriate minister, I will take the question. If you wish to persist with it to Minister Watt, it's a matter for him to answer.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think at this point there's been no redirection from Senator Chandler, so I invite Minister Watt to respond to the question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm always happy to talk about our plan to bring down energy prices and your utter failure to do so in the 10 years that you were in government. Unlike the opposition, the government has a plan. It's probably one of the reasons we won the election—that we actually have a plan going forward to bring down power prices in the way that we promised. The best thing about that is that at the same time not only will our plan bring down power prices, something that you were incapable of doing over 10 years; it will also bring down emissions, something you didn't believe in doing for 10 years let alone achieve. And we will create over 500,000 or 600,000-odd jobs—there are so many I can't remember the exact figure; that's how many jobs we will intend to create—including five out of six in regional Australia.

Our plan will help young people with their power prices. Our plan to lift wages will help young people, especially because of the number of young workers who work in industries like hospitality, retail and minimum wage jobs. What did those people get from a Labor government? They got a government that supported a wage rise—something you weren't prepared to do for the 10 years you were in government. Our policies will bring down youth prices, something you couldn't do—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, resume your seat. Senator Birmingham?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, a point of order on the question of direct relevance. Indeed, in the previous point of order, I commented—and I highlighted the fact—that the question didn't ask specifically about a policy of the government. It asked about a promise made by the now Prime Minister. That promise was that Labor's policy will see electricity prices fall from the current level by $275 for households by 2025.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, what's the point of order?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is: is the government going to honour that promise? Senator Watt is not addressing that precise promise—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, please resume your seat. Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order: this is precisely why the opposition should have readdressed the question. He's responding—

No, no. He is not the minister representing the minister responsible for the policy position.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order raised by Senator Birmingham, I noted that—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate has raised a point of order on the question which I am seeking to respond to. On the point of order, the minister is being relevant. It talked about electricity, it talked about promises and it talked about bringing prices down and young people. In my view, the minister has been relevant. Minister Watt, please continue.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. We have every intention of delivering all of our election commitments, whether it be this one or any other commitment that we made, such as getting rid of the ABCC; establishing an anti-corruption commission—something you didn't do for the last three years; and lifting minimum wages, which is something that has already happened under this government and which, as I say, benefits younger people as well. I might just note that not only did the former government fail to do anything about power prices in the 10 years that it was in government, it had the hide in the run-up to an election to actually hide from the Australian public how much those power prices were rising, because this mob over here will be the people who will be always remembered for hiding the increase in the default market offer price, which has increased power prices in New South Wales alone by up to 19 per cent— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, your first supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, with cost-of-living pressures faced by young Australians travelling to work and study, will the government extend the reduction in the fuel excise?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'Will the government extend the fuel excise'.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The number of interjections means it was impossible to hear that question. Could I ask for it to be—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, direct it to me. If you require the question to be repeated, then simply ask me.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, would you mind having the question repeated? It was impossible to hear due to the interjections.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam President, I can oblige. Minister, with cost-of-living pressures faced by young Australians travelling to work and study, will the government extend the reduction in the fuel excise?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, is there a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order: wrong minister and not a supplementary question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham—and then I'll come to you, Senator McKim.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Equally, briefly, the question relates to young Australians. The minister is the Minister representing the Minister for Youth. The question relates to cost-of-living pressures, as did the primary question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm going to respond to that point of order. As I said, there's already—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Just resume your seat, Minister.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! There is a question before the chair on supplementaries. In the same way that I have agreed to look at that previous question, we will look at this question and whether it relates to the primary question. If it doesn't, we'll report back to the Senate. Senator McKim.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. My question is to the minister—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, Senator McKim, I thought you were rising on a point of order.

Nick McKim (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I'm trying to ask a question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will get to you. Thank you. Resume your seat.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Senator McKim, resume your seat. Thank you.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Senator McKim, resume your seat! I advise the Senate that the question asked by Senator Chandler has been directed to Minister Watt, and he can answer it only within the broad depth of his policy area. I think he had some time left, but I will check—yes. Senator Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, unlike the opposition, this government cares about young people. But as to the specifics of this question, I refer them to the responsible minister.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, Senator Chandler is entitled to have silence while she asks her question. Senator Chandler, a second supplementary?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam President—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Wong. Senator Chandler, please continue.

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The ABS confirmed yesterday that inflation has risen to 6.1 per cent, the highest level in 20 years. When can young Australians expect the government to provide specific details on measures to help them with cost-of-living pressures?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With the greatest of respect, I think that is a question that is appropriately directed to the Minister representing the Minister for Youth, which is why I'm happy to give you an answer. Again, unlike the opposition—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, take a breath, please.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unlike the opposition, this government does care about young people. It has a minister in place with programs for young people, and the best thing that we have already done, in the short time that we have been in power, for young people is to ensure that they got an increase to the minimum wage, because of the sheer number of young workers who are on the minimum wage—something that the opposition consistently refused to do. Remember how low wages were a deliberate design feature of the Australian economy under this mob? No wonder they lost the election, and no wonder young voters refused to vote for them in droves.

There are two ways that you can deal with cost of living. One way is by bringing down costs—and that is what we fully intend to do with the promises that we have put in place. The second way you can do it is by lifting wages. And everyone knows that will only happen under a Labor government; it will never happen under you mob.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister Watt. The time has expired. Senator McKim.