Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes that the Government is:

(a) taking responsible and decisive action to take some of the edge off energy price rises; and

(b) responding to the energy price rise the previous Minister for Energy hid from the Australian people during the election; and

(2) acknowledges:

(a) that recent energy price rise forecasts were lower than previously predicted; and

(b) power prices are lower than they otherwise would be because of the steps the Government is taking.

We all know that events around the world have impacted domestic energy prices. The war in Ukraine disrupted supply chains and increased international demand for gas has meant that Australian households and businesses have to contend with higher power prices. And we know the impact on people in our communities. The cost of this is absolutely clear. That is why last year the government urgently recalled parliament, so we could act, not just talk but act, to take some of the sting out of higher power prices.

This government wants to help families, to support small businesses and to save Australian manufacturers. We know that it will take some time for all of the benefits to fully flow through, but there are encouraging signs that our action is starting to work, and if anyone doubts that let me remind the chamber of the AEMO quarterly report which said:

Following these announcements, ASX Cal23 electricity futures prices fell steeply for each of the mainland states through to the end of the Quarter, with prices dropping between 41% in South Australia and 46% in Queensland from the end of Q3 22. The expectation and then announcement of government intervention through the quarter saw reductions in futures prices for later years similar to those for Cal23 across the mainland regions.

There is a Treasury analysis where the comparison of 2023 wholesale electricity prices in November, before the plan was released, with the prices in December, after the plan was released, shows that forecast wholesale prices for 2023 dropped by 44 per cent in Queensland, 38 per cent in New South Wales, 32 per cent in South Australia and 29 per cent in Victoria. And we all know that at the end of January Shell announced an EOI process for eight PJ of gas to be delivered in 2023. We have seen reductions in the price increases that were forecast. This is a key indicator that the steps the government has taken, and is taking, are having an impact.

Every member of this place had a choice when they voted in December on the government's bill to combat climbing energy prices. They had a choice to help Australians with rising energy bills or to make it even harder for them. And if those opposite, the members of the Liberal and National Party, had their way households would be paying $230 more on their power bills than they would otherwise have to—without an extra cent of support.

Our government believes that Australian households and small businesses deserve support. We believe that Australian manufacturing deserves a future and that's what we are delivering for families and pensioners, for small businesses and for large manufacturers.

My state of Victoria has almost two-thirds of homes using gas so there is quite an impact by current prices. My community has been hit. There is no doubt about it. Locals from Frankston, Josh and Emily, told the Herald Sun that with their two kids and renovating their house they bought two years ago and the increase in their gas bills it has been hard. And like good Frankstonians they are concerned not just for themselves but others. They said:

We both have good jobs. Essentially we're going to be fine, but what about the elderly or single parents working two jobs? We have to be incredibly frugal and the price of gas and the price of fuel adds to the anxiety.

These are real people in my electorate whom the opposition tried to block providing direct energy bill relief to—real people, not just some sort of debating point; real people. After overseeing a decade of energy policy chaos, the opposition voted against action on power prices to help people like Josh and Emily.

It's not an overnight fix—of course it's not—but we've started to do the work, and more needs to be done. We're investing $25 billion in reducing emissions, in clean energy and in market stability; $20 billion in the Rewiring the Nation plan to upgrade Australia's electricity grid; and in 400 community batteries across the country, including one in Carrum Downs in my electorate. We are working to help lower electricity bills, reduce pressure on the grid and lower emissions. This government is going to continue to do everything it can to shield Australian households and businesses from the worst impacts. It's just a shame that the oppositional opposition can't get on with joining us to do so.

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