Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How will the Albanese Labor government's climate legislation benefit everyday Australians?

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

I thank the honourable member for Corangamite for her question and thank her for her advocacy on climate action, both directly to me and more broadly, over a long period of time. Today is a good day for our country. It's a good day for our parliament, it's a good day for our economy and it's a good day for our future because, today, it's become clear that the Albanese government's climate bill will pass both houses of parliament.

For a decade, the Australian people have watched this parliament and shaken their heads in frustration at the lack of action on climate change, and today we say, 'No more.' Today, the Australian parliament says, 'We have a government that gets it and a parliament that gets it.' Today, parliamentarians of goodwill and good faith have come together to do something good for our country. The member for Corangamite asks what this means for everyday Australians. What it means is investment. It means investment in the cheapest form of energy, in job-creating energy. I recognise that not everybody gets it, but enough people in this parliament get it to make this a reality.

I have a particular message for the people of regional Australia, who've powered Australia for so long. The people of the Hunter Valley, the people of the Illawarra, the people of the Pilbara, the people of Collie-Bunbury, the people of Portland and the Latrobe Valley: workers there have powered Australia for so long, giving us the energy we need for our economy. They will continue to do so as we turn Australia into a renewable energy powerhouse and as we turn Australia into a renewable export economy, creating good jobs for the future. That's what the Albanese government will do.

We've said consistently, 'Sure, this legislation is not essential for our agenda and we can get on with the things that we want to do, but this legislation is vital for investment.' You would have thought the so-called party of free enterprise would like investment in energy generation. You would have thought the so-called party of certainty for business would like a certain investment framework, but this party, which gave Australia 22 energy policies over a decade and couldn't land one, doesn't want to land another one now, even from opposition.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will take a break. I'll hear from the Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, you've been very clear in your rulings. The question does not contain any reference to past policies—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. You need to stand and say what you're raising the point of order on. So resume your seat, and I give the call to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy.

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

This government will get on with the job we were elected to do. We will work with this parliament to create certainty and frameworks so that we can invest in renewable energy, so that jobs can be created right across our country and so that we can be the renewable energy powerhouse this nation has the potential to be and has been trying to be for a decade. It has been held back and will be held back no more after today.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The Leader of the House?

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just so that I don't interrupt the flow of questions, I thought I'd do this before the next question is asked. I refer to page 514 of Practice, where there's an expectation in the parliament that, if we use the term 'you', we're actually referring to the Speaker. I've noticed, particularly today, it's constantly in questions, instead of members being referred to by their titles. I'd simply ask that we continue to enforce the rule the way we previously had.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader. I remind all members—particularly new members, and some existing members—that it is not acceptable to say 'you' when speaking. All remarks must be directed through me as the chair.