Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. I refer to his answer earlier this week on RGS, a manufacturer in my electorate that uses over 200 megawatt hours per year, which is facing an increase of around $43,000 in power bills. The default market offer, to which the minister referred in his answer, is only available to small businesses that consume less than 100 megawatt hours. So the minister did not answer my question. So I ask again: why are there such steep electricity prices facing this and many other businesses, and what is the government doing about it?

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 his question. My concern goes to all businesses in Queensland and all businesses across our country. My concern goes to all households across Australia and their energy bills, because we want to work and we are working and we will work to ensure that their power prices are as low as possible, whether they're on the DMO or not. The DMO does feed into energy prices; that's a statement of fact. The former minister for energy knew that. Perhaps that's why he hid that increase from the Australian people.

In the budget, we had a choice. We could have hidden the pressure on power prices—option A, which the previous government took. We could have hidden that. Option B is to actually be upfront with the Australian people about the pressures. That's the option we took. We take the option of actually being honest with the Australian people.

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

Order! The minister will resume his seat. The member for Hume has been continually interjecting right throughout question time. He will leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for Hume then left the chamber.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! There is far too much noise in the chamber. There is a general warning. I will take action if this level of noise continues.

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

It's a sad outcome that the member for Hume left us. But we are concerned and we are upfront. In relation to Queensland small businesses—small and large and medium—we should care about them all. The increase in small-business prices that the member for Hume hid from the Australian people was 12.8 per cent, $705, I make no apologies for pointing that to the House and the Australian people.

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

Has the minister concluded his answer? I give the call to the Manager of Opposition Business.

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

There is this repeated claim of hiding. The standing orders are very clear:

All imputations of improper motives to a Member … shall be considered highly disorderly.

That's clearly what this minister is repeatedly doing, and I suggest that it's clear—

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

Order! You may resume your seat. I remind the minister of the standing order, and I ask him to return to the question.

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

Certainly, Mr Speaker. Thank you. But the fact is the fact: the previous minister hid the facts from the Australian people. He should be ashamed of himself.