Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Yesterday the Treasurer finally confirmed that the Labor Party misled the Australian people 97 times before the last election on their promise to reduce power bills by $275, when he admitted it wasn't in the budget after saying it was. Given the Treasurer has now apologised to one Australian over this—Charles Croucher from 9News—when will the other 26 million Australians get their apology?

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

I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for her question. I reject the premise of the question. It goes to a failure, still, for those opposite to recognise that renewable energy is the cheapest form of new energy. Yesterday I spoke about the deal that was done with the Tasmanian government and what they have to say, what the Victorian government have to say as well, and I spoke about what the New South Wales Premier had to say. I agree with the statement that the cheapest, most reliable and cleanest energy on the planet is renewables. I agree with the statement that the cheapest way to deliver electricity today is not coal; it's not gas; it's certainly not nuclear. It's wind and solar backed up by pumped hydro and batteries. If you care about cheap energy and reliable energy, then you're looking at wind, solar and pumped hydro.

They are not my statements. They are the statements of Matt Kean, the New South Wales Treasurer—the deputy leader of this deputy leader's party in New South Wales.

Opposition members interjecting —

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

The Prime Minister will take a break. Members on my right, close to me, can cease interjecting, and I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on relevance: why can't the Prime Minister say two hundred and—

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

Resume your seat. I was pretty clear yesterday about that abuse of the standing order. The deputy leader has special privileges, which he's taken advantage of. I just remind all members to state the point of order of relevance. I will take their point, but, if it continues, I will not take them anymore.

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

It's not just more enlightened members of the Liberal Party who recognise that the earth is round and renewables are the cheapest form of new energy; it's also the business community. This is what Jennifer Westacott said—

Opposition members inter jecting—

When they're not busy trying to expel Liberal businesspeople like Nigel Satterley, they could at least listen to them. Jennifer Westacott said this:

You'll also be paying less for your power because at the moment building new renewables is cheaper than building new coal and cleaner electricity will continue to drive down energy prices.

That is what the business community says. That is what state and territory governments say. But what do those opposite do? They pretend that the former energy minister didn't know about regulations that he was delivering to hide a determination by the Australian Energy Regulator until it just happened to be to replace 1 May with 25 May. What happened in between 1 May and 25 May? What happen? What was it? What was it? What was it that happened on 21 May? They wanted to avoid the Australian people, before they voted, knowing about the hike in energy prices that was occurring on their watch because of their failure to invest in energy. (Time expired)