Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. Before the last election, the Prime Minister stated emphatically:

I don't think, I know that Labor's Powering Australia plan will cut power prices …

And Labor promised a $275 cut not once but on 97 occasions. However, recent figures released by the Australian Energy Market Operator reveal that energy bills have risen by over 20 per cent in the past 12 months, with a record number of households and businesses claiming hardship assistance. Was the Prime Minister lying or just reckless when he solemnly pledged to cut power prices for Australian households?

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

Thank you, Senator Hughes. I just remind people about the use of that terminology, and I just ask you, if it's in further questions, to use different language.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much for the question. I would like to begin the answer by acknowledging, and reminding people of, the energy crisis that we inherited on coming into government. In fact, I remember Minister Bowen having to leave the swearing-in ceremony at Government House to make sure that the lights stayed on across the country because of the mess that we inherited from those opposite who, remember, hid the power price increase. They hid the advice that they received about the increase in electricity prices before the election.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Minister Gallagher, please resume your seat. Order! Minister Gallagher, please continue.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The former minister hid the increases in energy prices before the election, because he didn't want that to come out. But, when what we had inherited became clear, we started, on day one, going around and fixing the mess that we inherited, including by delivering on our commitments that were included in the Powering Australia plan, which Senator Hughes outlined in her question. So, yes, we are delivering on that, but we are also dealing with what we inherited with the war in Ukraine and the mess that we inherited from those opposite. The modelling that was done in the Powering Australia plan was done in 2019 to reflect the situation in 2025—from memory. We are dealing with right here, right now, with the circumstances that we inherited. The reality is that renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy and that, if you put more investment and get more renewable energy into the grid, it will moderate the increases in electricity prices. That is a fact, and that is accepted by everybody except those opposite in this place, which is exactly why we inherited the mess we did when we came to government, because you had your head in the sand for a decade. (Time expired)

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

Senator Hughes, first supplementary?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

According to evidence given at the Senate's cost-of-living inquiry, EnergyAustralia is now dealing with three times the number of inquiries concerning energy bill relief that it had during the pandemic, while 45,000 customers are now accessing the company's hardship program. Why has the Prime Minister been so distracted by dividing the country that he's allowing this cost-of-living crisis to cause so much hurt to Australian families?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I can't take a question seriously from a party that opposed the energy bill relief plan. That is the money that was supported by this parliament to ensure that we could take some of the pressure off those bills. That is the single purpose of one of those questions that was put to this chamber. And you voted against it. How can you vote against households getting hundreds of dollars of relief off their winter bills and then complain about increasing costs when you voted against them getting any help? It doesn't make any sense.

Australians realise that they've got a government that acknowledges that prices are high in a range of areas. We are dealing with it with our 10-point plan that goes to a number of areas to support households and families who are doing it tough. Energy bills is one of those areas, and you voted against it. (Time expired)

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

Senator Hughes, second supplementary?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In evidence given to the Senate's cost-of-living inquiry, Origin Australia revealed that 71,000 residential customers are now on the company's hardship program—an increase of 22 per cent compared to last year. Will Labor accept responsibility—

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

They'd be the people we tried to help.

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, I can't hear myself think over Minister Watt there. Will Labor accept responsibility for the electricity price increases happening under its watch and apologise for breaking its election promise—

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

Thank you, Senator. The time for asking the question has expired.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We'll take responsibility for the energy bill relief we successfully got through this parliament. We'll take responsibility for the cheaper childcare package. We'll take responsibility for the rent assistance, for tripling the Medicare bulk-billing rate, for making medicines cheaper, for boosting income support payments, for the fee-free TAFE program—remember, another sector that you ignored, the VET sector—for building more homes, for expanding paid parental leave and for getting wages moving again. That is what we will take responsibility for.