Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question goes to the Acting Prime Minister. Will electricity prices go up by 20 per cent over winter?

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whatever happens with electricity prices in the future, they would have gone up a lot more if those opposite had had their way last December. Last December, those opposite were given an opportunity to vote on behalf of the household budgets of the Australian people by supporting a $1½ billion package, which is working. If you look at the forward electricity prices announced in February, they are half of what they were in November. Those opposite are the ones who stand to increase electricity prices.

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

The Acting Prime Minister will pause. The Acting Prime Minister was asked about electricity prices. He is talking about electricity prices. I'll hear from the member for Fairfax on a point of order.

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. The question was tight. Will electricity prices go up—

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

Resume your seat.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! I want to hear from the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I'd suggest that the member making that point of order knew it was out of order. He was simply standing up for the purpose of trying to get an extra grab in. There was nothing there that added to the ruling you made immediately before he stood up.

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

I'll deal with this issue before I call the Acting Prime Minister. It was pretty clear when the Acting Prime Minister was talking about electricity prices, and the question is about electricity prices, that that point of order was out of order. And I think the member knows that. He's on in the MPI; I'm going to call the Acting Prime Minister, but if the member interrupts again he won't be here for the MPI. I call the Acting Prime Minister.

Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Be it the failure of those opposite to act on behalf of Australian household budgets last December, or be it the fact that over the course of their government they had 22 failed energy policies—because they found themselves down this bizarre cul-de-sac of climate change denial which meant they were utterly paralysed in doing anything about electricity prices—both mean that the party of higher power prices is the Liberal Party, and they stand condemned as such.