Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for the Environment. Will the minister inform the House how repealing the world's biggest carbon tax has reduced costs for Australian families and businesses, which has been so important in places like Gilmore? What would be the impact of the carbon tax if it was reintroduced?

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

I particularly want to thank the member for Gilmore, who voted for lower electricity prices for her constituents, whether they were in Nowra or Shellharbour or Kiama. The member for Gilmore yesterday received the news that—

Ms Butler interjecting—

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

The member for Griffith has been warned! Once more and she will leave under 94(a).

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

each and every one of her constituents was part of the largest drop in electricity prices on Australian record. But not just on Australian record—more than that it compares with what occurred under Labor. You may ask yourself what was the record of the Labor Party on electricity prices? Under Labor electricity prices went up over six years, according to the ABS consumer price index, by 101 per cent. So prices are actually dropping under us. They went up under Labor by 101 per cent.

But for the Leader of the Opposition 101 per cent is not enough. He wants more. Not only did he vote to keep the carbon tax, now that it has been repealed he wants to reintroduce the carbon tax. His policy is absolutely crystal clear: they want a carbon tax back; they are going to take it to the next election and they are going to call it something else. It does not matter what you call it, if it works like a carbon tax, if it increases pain like a carbon tax and if it increases electricity prices like a carbon tax, then it is a carbon tax.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

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

The Leader of the Opposition will desist.

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

Do you know the problem? They will not be honest with the Australian people. But we were, and we are. We said that electricity prices would drop, and they did. As a consequence of that, in the member for Gilmore's electorate what we have seen is a decrease in prices for her EnergyAustralia customers of 8.9 per cent, a decrease in prices for her Simply Energy customers of 10 per cent, a decrease in prices for her Simply Energy small business customers of nine per cent and a decrease in prices for any commercial and industrial customers of Origin Energy of 15½ per cent. It is very clear: on their latest modelling, when in government, the carbon tax on a floating basis was not going to be $25, it was going to be $38. So not only do we get all of the reductions put back onto the bills, but we also get an extra 50 per cent. We are for lower electricity prices and they are— (Time expired)

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I did not wish to interrupt the minister's answer to the question but during the answer the Leader of the Opposition consistently used unparliamentary language which he should withdraw. I am not prepared to repeat it. He knows what it was and he should withdraw it in the interests of the House.

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

I ask the honourable Leader of the Opposition to withdraw.

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

I am more than happy to oblige. I withdraw.