Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. I refer to the government report, based on October data, titled 'Estimated impacts of CFPs'—which are coal-fired power stations—'and associated coalmine closures'. Do you acknowledge that the report has been compiled, and will you release 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. I think all ministers would expect a question on something that was on the front page of a newspaper—so no surprises there. Congratulations for getting to it when it was on the front page of yesterday's newspaper! Congratulations for that!

That's actually the least of the problems with the question. The document the honourable member refers to does refer to the closure of Liddell power station and Bayswater power station. Liddell's closure was announced in 2015, and Bayswater's closure was announced in February this year. A common fact about those closures is that we weren't in office at the time. A common fact about that is that those opposite were in charge at the time those were announced.

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The minister will take a break. Order! Members on my right. I'll hear from the member for New England.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to standing order 104(a), which is quite exact in that the answer must be directly relevant to the question. At this stage he has not been directly relevant as to whether the report has been compiled and whether he will release it.

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

The shadow minister will resume his seat. The minister is less than one minute into his answer. He is being directly relevant by referring to the report, and I'll ask him—

The member for Wannon is warned. The member for Wannon has a habit of just going off script when he feels like it. I want to warn all members that, if this behaviour continues, people will leave the chamber. It may be the last day, but you will leave the chamber.

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're all yelling and carrying on!

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

The member for Wannon will leave the chamber under 94(a). I can't be clearer. If someone is warned, that means rein it in.

The member for Wannon then left the chamber.

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

To be fair to the honourable member who asked the question, he had a plan for Liddell. He planned to nationalise the Liddell power station, if only he was in a job where he could have done something about that—if only he had a role in the government where he could have made a decision! The former Minister for Energy had a plan for Bayswater when the closure was announced. He issued a press release saying the Morrison government expects the market to step up. That was his big plan: the market to step up to deal with the closure of Bayswater. That's all he had. I guess that was better than the closure of the Eraring power station, where the minister didn't even know it was being closed until he read it in the newspaper. That was the level of trust between the New South Wales energy minister and the federal energy minister. The New South Wales energy minister—a Liberal minister—was involved in the planning of the closure. He didn't trust the federal minister enough to tell him.

We know that the regions are going through economic change, none more so than the Hunter. That's why we have plans. Those opposite don't get it. We saw the coalminer-cosplay senator, Senator Canavan, in the Hunter the other week. He tweeted:

Just passing by the Liddell coal fired power station and want to say THANKS to all the workers who make modern life possible!

It was Bayswater power station! That's how much they understand.

I tell you who does know the Hunter: the member for Hunter, the member for Paterson, the member for Shortland and the member for Newcastle, because they're delivering upgrades for the Newcastle Airport, they're delivering the Muswellbrook Bypass, and they're delivering the Muswellbrook town centre upgrade. The member for Paterson and I are delivering for MGA Thermal—$1.3 million to support them, which was delivered today. That's what delivery looks like. What that side of the House looked like was a whole lot of words and a whole lot of nothing.

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

The member for Kennedy is seeking the call.

Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't think I've ever raised a point of order before, but there are five power stations closing. The question he's asked—

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

Resume your seat. I appreciate the member's feedback, but this is not the time to give it.