Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, what a ridiculous contribution from the member for Fairfax. It takes a special effort to make Clive Palmer look like a good representative for the seat of Fairfax, but he achieved it. It is also a sad indictment on his organisation that he could not even get a Queenslander to second it. I know they are in trouble tonight in the State of Origin, but they are in trouble in the Federation Chamber right now. But I have got good news for the member for Fairfax. I am a bearer of good news for once. What is the action item for this motion? It is calling for a full, independent and transparent inquiry into why the cost of electricity in Queensland has doubled. Well, I have good news for you; it has already occurred. It is called the Finkel review, which looked into why electricity prices in this country have increased so markedly over the last few years, and it has an answer. The answer from the Finkel review is this slide. This slide, that is part of the government briefing pack that went to those on the other side, shows that wholesale electricity costs have more than doubled since 2013. They have more than doubled since 2013. What has caused it?

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