Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I think we've completed the survey, and no-one opposite believes that reducing power prices by $115 per year is a good result for low-income earners in their electorates. On this side we know it is a good idea. We know that reliable and affordable energy is so crucial to low-income earners and to families, to small businesses and to manufacturers in towns like Casino and Grafton, Lismore and Yamba. Bill Collingburn at Yamba Welding & Engineering knows that, if it takes some of the pressure off his energy bills, it's going to mean he can employ more people in that beautiful part of the world.

The Turnbull-Joyce government is delivering. We're taking action with our National Energy Guarantee. Our National Energy Guarantee is a huge step forward. It will take pressure off households. It will help to secure jobs. It will allow for certainty of investment by our power generators and also for our providers of base-load energy, particularly in electorates like my own, in Gippsland, in the Latrobe Valley. Those opposite want to talk about guarantees. I can tell you one thing you can guarantee: blue-collar workers will lose their jobs under the opposition's plan.

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