Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to Labor's economic plan and budget strategy available on the Labor Party's website. Page 7 of that document outlined a 5-point economic plan. The first point is, 'To cut power bills by $275 a year by 2025.' With the budget confirming this promise has been broken, will the Prime Minister admit that his economic plan is in ruins?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my right! The Prime Minister will be heard in silence.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question, which goes to energy prices and goes to what was said before the election—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

97 times it was said.

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

The Leader of the Opposition has asked his question. I just said that the Prime Minister will be heard in silence. I want to be clear today: questions will be heard in silence out of respect for the office of the person asking them; also answers will be heard in silence.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Indeed, before the election there were a range of things said. Indeed, when confronted with the fact that when in government there was a warning of a pending spike in energy prices and that the announcement was delayed until after the election, this is what the former minister for energy and now shadow Treasurer said just yesterday, 26 October: 'That was a report from the Australian Energy Regulator. It puts it out, not me and I didn't say it.' That's what he said yesterday. Well, that's interesting, because this is the very document that goes to the increase that has occurred in the default retail price, which is fed into energy prices increasing by figures around 20 per cent. He said he did not see it and did not know about it—an interesting statement. Here is the document, Default market offer prices 2022-23the final determination of May 2022. I table the document from the Australian Energy Regulator.

Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about what you said—$275?

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

The member for Deakin will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But at the same time, here is the change in the law, dated 31 March 2022.

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

The member for Moncrieff will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The bloke who said he didn't see it, he didn't know about it—'It puts it out, not me; I didn't say it'—yesterday said this—

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

The Prime Minister will pause.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! Members on my left and on my right, I wish to hear the Manager of Opposition Business in silence.

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

On relevance, he's had a two-minute preamble. You should bring him back to the topic of the question, the $275 reduction that was promised.

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

Thank you for your constructive feedback.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order: the question went to what was said about energy prices before the election in May 2022. My answer has gone to what was happening to energy prices in May 2022 and couldn't be more relevant to the question that was asked by the Leader of the Opposition, so I'd ask you to rule against the point of order.

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

The Prime Minister is correct when he says that the question was about five points announced before the election. The Prime Minister is referring to the policy announcement and what was announced, so the Prime Minister is being directly relevant.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks very much, Mr Speaker. Here's the regulation, the change in the law on 31 March 2022, from Angus Taylor. He said he didn't see it or know anything about it. It's two simple changes. Item 1 is:

Paragraph 17(2)(c)

Omit "1 May", substitute "the first business day after 25 May".

How subtle is that! They changed the law with a regulation in March, after Parliament couldn't disallow the change in regulation because we were going into caretaker mode. They changed it to after the election. What a farce. You have no credibility. (Time expired)

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

Is the Leader of the Opposition seeking the call?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister has used unparliamentary language toward the shadow Treasurer, and he should be asked to withdraw it.

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

I didn't hear what he said. I heard someone say an unparliamentary remark on my left just minutes ago. Does the Prime Minister wish to withdraw?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, that's one of the nicest things I've said about the shadow Treasurer!

Honourable members interj ecting—

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

Order! It's been a long week. The member for Barker can cease interjecting. When the House comes to order, I'll hear from the member for Robertson.