Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I remind the House that this is the government that has responded to the independent Energy Security Board, which has come forward with a recommendation on the way to deliver cheaper electricity prices—more reliable and affordable electricity prices—and the way to do it without burdening the public with unnecessary subsidies that are required only because of the ideological vanity of the Leader of the Opposition and the ideologues who sit opposite, who each day want to worship at the altar of this ideology that is putting subsidies in the hands of companies, paid for by householders who don't have to do it.

There is a simple question for the Leader of the Opposition: will he abandon the failed policy approach that they have stuck to for so many years, join with the government and say to the COAG council that this is the way to ensure we get reliable, affordable electricity for households and businesses which also meets our environmental targets? That is what this plan delivers. It initially came out of the Finkel report, which said we should set up the Energy Security Board. The Energy Security Board, which was set up by COAG as a result of that recommendation of the Finkel report, has looked at all of those recommendations, and it has come forward with this as the answer for how you deal with these issues. So I know the Leader of the Opposition, who wants to impose a $66 billion electricity bill on the Australian public, will not move away from his pride and will not stand down, but he should—in the interests of families and of businesses who need the certainty that he has lectured this government about for so long. He should listen to the Australian people on this and he should put aside this ideological vanity and decide to commit to lower prices, because this plan will deliver lower prices— (Time expired)

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