Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Small Business. Can the minister inform the House how much a typical small business electricity bill is and whether electricity bills are becoming more expensive for small businesses?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. As I've said in this place before, we understand that small businesses across Australia have had a tough time. We know that they've had a tough time, and we know that energy bills are increasing. What we also know of course is that that side of the House didn't do anything about energy policy for more than a decade. We had a decade of denial and delay that caused energy prices to increase. We also had the former minister hiding energy price increases from small businesses right across the country, because they wouldn't tell small businesses before the election what their plans were for energy prices.

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order on relevance. The first question was: can she inform us on the price of electricity for small businesses?

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

I would bring the minister back to the question. It was a specific question about how much an electricity bill is and energy prices becoming more expensive. I ask the minister to return to the question. She has had a preamble.

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We of course know that small businesses are facing challenges, and energy prices are one of them, which is why we are working with small businesses and are busy implementing our election commitments to small business.