Fiona Scott (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for the Environment: I refer the minister to this statement from AGL confirming that, if the carbon tax is repealed, price reductions will flow through to residential and small business customers. What is standing in the way of repealing a carbon tax that does not help the environment and that will ease the cost of living pressures on businesses and families in my electorate of Lindsay?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the honourable Minister for the Environment, there will be silence on my left. It was almost impossible to hear the question. One more utterance, and the next person will leave the chamber under 94(a).

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Lindsay for her question. I believe that this is the 29th question on the environment from this side of chamber but, after 9½ months, more than 410 questions—

Mr Husic interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chifley will leave under 94(a).

The member for Chifley then left the chamber.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and, to the best of my recollection, not one question on the environment, nothing from the opposition—nothing about the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement, nothing about the feral pig eradication program, nothing about the Western Sydney conservation corridor. Hello, good to see you!

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: this is just the minister hurling abuse and nothing he has said is relevant to the—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. There is no point of order and that is an abuse of the points of orders. As well, he should know.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From the member who called Canada a pariah, that is a great comment—a real triumph of diplomacy, that one. Let me make these points: as the member for Lindsay says, her electorate is suffering more from higher electricity and gas prices than they need to. But on Monday of this week, AGL, which services numerous customers in her electorate, made the following statement:

… price reductions will flow through to residential and small business customers, if the carbon repeal legislation is passed by the Federal Parliament.

A very interesting thing happened just an hour and a half ago: in the Senate, the Labor Party voted to try to put back the repeal date for the carbon legislation; they voted to try to put back the consideration of the carbon legislation. There will be a new Senate soon and, when that happens, they will consider it—

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Who told you?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No-one told you, Buster. When that happens, they will consider it at the earliest possible time. Do you know what happens? AGL has said that they will reduce—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know it is Thursday of the second week of sitting. I know there are many people who do not want to stay late tonight and seem to want an early mark. We can assist them leave.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Origin will reduce prices. Alinta will reduce prices. Energy Australia will reduce prices, and in Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton will leave under 94(a).

The member for Moreton then left the chamber.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the regulators have all said that they will reduce prices. More than that, the ACCC will be on the job, but we are happy to take the considerations of members of this House and to go even further to enshrine in legislation guarantees over and above what we already have so prices will be lower than they would otherwise have been. Electricity and gas costs will be down, and the people who are standing directly in the way ought to realise that change is coming, and that change will mean lower electricity and gas prices.