Sam Birrell (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Kalafatis Fresh Produce, a major supplier of apples, pears and stone fruit in the Goulburn Valley, is facing a skyrocketing monthly electricity bill, rising from $50,000 a month to $100,000 a month under Labor. Why are Goulburn Valley businesses having to pay for Labor's broken promise to lower electricity prices by $275? And why do Australians always pay more under Labor?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order, the member for Hume and the Leader of the Nationals. I'll give the call to the Prime Minister, and he will be heard in silence.

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

I thank the member for Nicholls for his question. I think this is the first one he has asked of me since his election. I congratulate him on his election, and I wish him well on a personal level. Can I say, when it comes to thanks, though, that all members in this chamber had an opportunity last December to decide whether they were in favour of higher energy prices or lower energy prices. We on this side were in favour of lower energy prices. Those opposite voted for higher energy prices.

You don't have to listen to people just inside this chamber. AGL know a bit about the business. They put out their statement to the stock exchange for their half-yearly results for 2022-23. A statement to the Australian Stock Exchange is a very serious document. They said this:

Notably, the impact of government intervention contributed to a sharp decline in forward electricity prices …

That's what they had to say. That's what's going on. AGL CEO Damien Nicks is then quoted in the West Australian today as saying:

… the National Energy Price Relief Plan has contributed to a reduction in wholesale electricity forward prices from historically high levels …

That's what the people on the front line are saying.

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

The member for Hume is warned.

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

In some places this isn't partisan. The New South Wales Premier had this to say:

I'm a free market guy, and also a practical guy too. And the reality is, we stand with households and families across New South Wales.

That's what he had to say. He went on to say:

… states and territories working with the Commonwealth Government, everyone at National Cabinet is on a unity ticket.

Indeed, they were. The New South Wales Treasurer said: 'We're not on the side of energy bosses. We're on the side of consumers and businesses.' I wonder who he was thinking of.

The fact is that the Russian invasion of Ukraine, together with the exposure that we have to international markets as a result of policy issues is why these issues are being dealt with. Along with state and territory governments, we were dealing with these issues. Those opposite refused to be a part of any solution to these issues and chose instead to oppose, as they do— (Time expired)