Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the speakers who've come before me, including the member for Hasluck. The member for Hasluck sort of gives the game away, when MPIs like this talk about serious topics and she's goading the coalition to come up with a talking point or a corflute for an election. You said, 'Please, please mention nuclear', because you're salivating for that to be used in an election campaign. Well, Australians expect better than that. They expect the government, not the opposition in waiting—maybe one day, but you're the government—to be focusing on their needs. Energy isn't just one of those other niche areas. It is fundamental to our economy and indeed fundamental to human life. The whole history and the heart of human progress has been linked to energy. Energy is key to wealth, health, nutrition, infrastructure and life expectancy. And this idea that we can play politics with that key fundamental input to our society and productivity and see manufacturing industries go from this country overseas and import those products back in and say that we feel good about ourselves—well, shame on you. Shame on you for turning that serious debate into one of cute campaign politics.

We need to improve productivity in this country. If we don't, there are only two other solutions: cut government spending—government programs—or raise taxes. That's the alternative. And if you want to raise productivity, there are three key levers. There's technology, and as one member over here, who has some knowledge of technology, said, that's not coming from this place; that's coming from the private sector. And then there are energy and industrial relations. And you've given up on productivity increasing, on industrial relations. You've made it harder; you've made it worse. So we're left with energy, which flows through to every business, every small business, every household and every section of our economy.

Those who spoke previously noted that this isn't just about productivity in the economy; it's about households and how they're struggling now with the cost of living. Energy bills, next to food and the mortgage, are some of the most expensive things you can open an envelope for. That's why 120,000 households are on financial hardship arrangements with their energy retailer. In Victoria, my home state, electricity bills have gone up to $275, up by 20 per cent. That's better than in many other states. So, Labor has fallen short of its election commitments.

And promises do matter. No-one forced the Prime Minister, or the then opposition, to make the promise of a $275 reduction.

A government member: By next year!

And I note the interjection, 'By next year!' That's not going to happen. You know that. We know that. That's not going to happen. But if that makes you feel better, I will add that to the claim.

We've had a 40 per cent increase in power bills across this nation—or 39 per cent, to be precise—and you said, 'Well, that's not our fault; it's the war in Ukraine.' Yet that invasion occurred on 24 February 2022, and right up until 18 May—mere days before the election—that promise was maintained. If that was the factor—not a factor, but the factor—then why was that promise maintained months after the invasion started? And then you got some potential good news, when the regulator said that in some areas there was a potential drop of 0.4, to 7.1, and champagne corks were popped. We heard it many times here in question time. Suddenly it's as if there's no more war in Ukraine; that's all on the government. So, suddenly, when there's good news, it's your doing, but when there's bad news, it's someone else's fault. Well, news flash: when you become the government you're responsible for the good news and the bad news. You can't cherrypick and just take the things that are good. You must step up and be responsible. I recall the Prime Minister, the then opposition leader, saying he would step up, he would take responsibility. We heard that again and again and again.

We're committed to this transition from a coal based economy. We're committed to that, and it's not easy. But let's not pretend we're going to feel good about ourselves by covering this nation in wires, removing parks and green space, scarring our landscape and riding roughshod over communities, just to have industries imported from overseas. That doesn't help the climate, the economy or families.

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