Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. Of course the member will be aware that just last week the Australian Energy Market Operator released the document on supply of gas opportunities, which outlined the very task which has been inherited by this government and which we have been dealing with, including through the energy ministers council and the significant reforms that have been agreed unanimously between me and the state and territory ministers to give AEMO more powers to ensure that underutilised storage capacity is better managed and to ensure they have the access to all the information they require—powers they did not have until this government negotiated it through the energy ministers council, and powers that are being implemented.

The honourable member refers to, I think he said legislation. He may not recall that the gas cap that was legislated—with no support from those opposite—does not apply to new supply. A small fact which escaped the honourable member when he was drafting the question in his office, working on it for hours. Maybe he remembered that, but it didn't suit his argument. Perhaps it was an inconvenient truth for the honourable member that he chose to ignore. Of course he was against it. He was for higher power prices, for higher gas prices in December. He came in here and voted for those higher prices. This side of the House voted for lower prices.

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