Senate debates
Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Questions without Notice
Energy
2:00 pm
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. Minister, did Mr Albanese promise to cut the energy bills for Australians by saying, 'Our plan will cut family power bills by $275 a year by 2025'?
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I thank Senator Birmingham for his question. It is a little bit rich, after years and years and years and years of failing to do anything about energy prices and failing to do anything about a plan to deal with issues related to climate change, that the opposition should be asking this question. What was the first thing—or one of the first things—that Prime Minister Albanese did on coming to office? He realised the inaction of the opposition on this issue of electricity prices and he took action, and he took action in a way which—
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Birmingham?
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
President, I have a point of order on the question of direct relevance by the minister. It was a very narrow question asking the minister specifically to confirm whether or not the Prime Minister made a particular statement about cutting electricity bills by $275 a year. It's a yes or no answer, Minister.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, Senator Birmingham. I will direct the senator to the body of your question.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, President. And thank you for that clarification by the leader on the question. Look, you can't answer that question in the way in which the opposition would like it answered. You can only answer that question—
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
President, a further point of order in relation to relevance: the minister is now claiming that he can't answer a question as to whether or not the now Prime Minister said something or didn't say something. I seek leave, President, to table the speech by the Prime Minister to the NFF 2022 National Conference, in which he said, 'Our plan will cut family power bills by $275 a year'—
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
one of the 97 occasions on which he made such a statement.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you. Senator Birmingham, I will check to see if leave is granted. Is leave granted?
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Customarily, President, an opportunity is given to the other side to look at the document. I'm happy to examine the document closely and advise the leader.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you. So, Senator Birmingham, I understand the government will come back to you. I will again remind the minister of your question.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, President. The point I was making was a simple one. You cannot answer in a simple way the question that you're seeking an answer to without explaining the lack of action by the previous government on electricity prices. We came to government finding all of these areas where there had been neglect and we've set about, one by one, seeking to fix— (Time expired)
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Birmingham, first supplementary?
2:04 pm
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Is it still the Albanese Labor government's policy that Australians will see their power bills fall by $275 a year by 2025, as stated by Prime Minister Albanese on no fewer than 97 occasions prior to the election?
2:05 pm
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It's still the wish and the desire of the Albanese government to ensure that we as a government do everything to put downward pressure on electricity prices for ordinary Australians in terms of their household bills and for companies, who operate now in an environment where there's upward pressure on electricity bills. We're about putting downward pressure on those bills, and that's exactly what we're doing. Why did this government cap gas bills? Why did we cap coal prices? We capped them to put that downward pressure on those bills. And, to your everlasting disgrace, you opposed it. (Time expired)
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Senator Birmingham, second supplementary?
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Will the minister admit that the Albanese Labor government has abandoned its promise to cut power bills by $275 a year by 2025 and that, in fact, on the 97-plus occasions it promised that prior to the last election it was simply seeking to deceive the Australian people—deliberately so—before they got the chance to vote?
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I'm not going to call the minister until there's silence. Order on my left and my right.
2:06 pm
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
What a cheek asking a question about deceiving the Australian people. Who replaced you as finance minister? It was Scott Morrison. But did he tell you? He didn't even tell you that he replaced you as finance minister.
Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
I don't need to tell you the part of direct relevance there. You couldn't be more irrelevant, more hopeless, more unable to answer the question or less willing to talk about $275 than Senator Farrell is.
Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
It is the custom in this chamber to allow leaders some leeway, but, seriously, points of order need to be made directly. Minister Farrell, I remind you of Senator Birmingham's question. Please continue.
Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source
Thank you, President. I can assure the opposition, the Australian people and businesses in Australia that this government is serious about putting downward pressure on electricity prices. That's why we've taken the hard decisions. Contrary to a lot of interested groups in this country, we've— (Time expired)