Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank members and senators for returning to parliament today to vote on our plan for energy price relief for Australian industry and business, for Australian manufacturing, for Australian jobs and for Australian families. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022 is important and it is urgent, because after a wasted decade of denial and delay; after a wasted decade of neglecting the national energy grid and attacking renewables; after a wasted decade that cost Australian jobs, robbed us of investment, damaged our international reputation and left us vulnerable to global shocks, there is not a day to waste when it comes to securing more affordable and reliable energy for Australia.

Last Friday at the National Cabinet, every premier and chief minister signed up to the four key measures in this relief plan, including the New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, and Premier Rockliff of Tasmania. I thank all of the premiers for their support. The four key measures are: (1) a temporary cap on the price of uncontracted gas at $12 per gigajoule for 12 months; (2) a 12-month price ceiling on domestic coal of $125 per tonne in New South Wales and Queensland, and Premier Perrottet, when I spoke to him last night, indicated that New South Wales will be recalling their parliament next week to legislate it; (3) $1½ billion in targeted bill relief for businesses and households most in need, delivered through reduce measures in bills in order to put downward pressure on inflation; and (4) long-term action to secure our energy future, including the new Capacity Investment Scheme, and the continuing rollout of projects under our Rewiring the Nation fund.

This plan is a combination of immediate action and future reform. It recognises the challenge of here and now as a result of Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine. We need to act now, though, to deal with this crisis, to keep Australians in work, to support families, but also to look to the medium term to make sure we do secure our energy future. That's what we'll be doing—making sure that the cheapest and cleanest form of new energy, renewables, are able to power into the grid through the projects that we announced and will continue to announce around Rewiring the Nation. Together with the National Reconstruction Fund, this is also about making sure that we can make things here again—advanced manufacturing.

Apparently, those opposite want us to have acted quicker but also to be slower at the same time. Having had 22 policies in government but not landing one of them, they now want us to have no policy also. They were addicted to power, but they were hopeless on energy. They rushed around, passing in a day legislation about strawberries that was never used, but they did nothing to help people with their power bills. The only time they acted with urgency was to cover up the 20 per cent increase in power prices and to keep it a secret until after the election. Now they're seeking to stand in the way of this urgent action because they imagine that somehow it serves their political agenda.

Well, the choice for this parliament today is very clear: you can vote for this plan and vote for lower power prices, or you can vote against it and vote for higher prices. You can vote for this plan and stand up for jobs, for industry, and for households, or you can vote against it and stand with companies banking record profits and sending them offshore. That's the choice. Vote for this plan and be part of the solution, or vote against it and be part of the problem. The opposition will be held to account for their decision. We know where we stand. We stand for Australian manufacturing and we stand for Australian households, and this legislation will support both. That is what this bill will do.

In government those opposite failed over a decade to deliver a coherent energy policy. We on this side of the House are acting with urgency to deal with the challenge which is there, and that is why it has the support of every premier across the country and the Labor Party. I also thank those in the crossbench who are providing— (Time expired)

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