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

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister promised 97 times before the election that he would cut power prices by $275 per year—a promise he continued to make, 28 times, after Russia invaded Ukraine. Will the Prime Minister finally admit he has broken his promise?

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

I thank the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party for her question. It's not surprising it's question 2. I foreshadow that when the shadow Treasurer asks a question today I'm going to give the Treasurer a go today at question 4.

I'm asked about the pressure on energy prices and the context we have. None other than former WA Liberal Premier—when the Liberal Party had more than two people in the Legislative Assembly!—Richard Court said that the past decade of national energy policy has been 'a slow-moving trainwreck'. Jennifer Westacott from the Business Council of Australia said:

… we've not done the work that we should have done for the last decade. … we've really made a mess of energy policy.

Dominic Perrottet—do you remember him? He's the bloke who won't be seen anywhere near this fellow opposite me. But there are two days to go! Don't miss the opportunity! I was in Monaro this morning—

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

The Prime Minister will pause and I'll hear from—

The Leader of The Nationals! I'm trying to hear the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party.

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

I raise a point of order on relevance. The Prime Minister has not mentioned the commitment to reduce power prices once. I believe he's flouting your ruling. I ask you to bring him back to the question or sit him down.

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

I thank the deputy leader for her assistance. I always enjoy her contributions, so I appreciate her assistance. I haven't made a ruling yet. Your point of order was on relevance. The Prime Minister has been going for one minute. The question was about power prices and was related to the war in Ukraine and to his commitment, so I'm going to listen carefully to what he says. He is talking about energy prices and quotes around energy prices, so he is being relevant, but I'll make sure that he sticks to the question. I give him the call.

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

I certainly will, Mr Speaker. But I do note that a New South Wales Liberal Party member just objected to even the words 'Dominic Perrottet' being mentioned in this chamber—

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

The Prime Minister will continue with his answer.

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

but this is what the New South Wales Premier had to say:

The issue here, that NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia are dealing with now, has been the ideological war when it comes to climate change and energy policy in this country, and that has led to a lack of private sector investment …

Why is it that, across other parliaments, the coalition and the Labor Party understand that this is about—

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

Order! The member for Fairfax! The Prime Minister will pause.

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

He's not answering the question.

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

The member for Fairfax!

Government members interjecting—

Order! The Prime Minister will pause. Member on my right! The member for Fairfax is close to me; I am hearing him. Trust me, I'm hearing him. If he continues to interject in that way, I will warn him.

Government members interjecting—

Order! Members on my right. The Minister for Climate Change and Energy will cease interjecting as well. I'm going to ask the Prime Minister to return to the question with his answer.

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

I'm asked about the issue of energy prices, and, very directly, the war—Russia's illegal war—against Ukraine was raised by the deputy leader in her question, and then they refuse to acknowledge that the ongoing impact of that war has had an impact on global energy prices. That is just a fact.

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

The member for Groom! The Prime Minister will pause. The Prime Minister was asked about the war in Ukraine in the question. He is referencing directly that matter, so I'll hear from the Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

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

With respect, Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister was not asked about the war in Ukraine.

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

Yes, I was.

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

No, you weren't. The question was:

The Prime Minister promised 97 times before the election that he would cut power prices by $275 per year—a promise he continued to make, 28 times, after Russia—

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

Resume your seat.

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

Mr Speaker, I seek the call.

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

A question to me? Yes.

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

Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister makes a mockery of your indications to—

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

Resume your seat. If you want to ask me a question, you may do so at the end of question time.

I haven't made a ruling.

I'll hear from the Leader of the Opposition.

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

Mr Speaker, you went to the conduct of the House. It would be very easy for us to sit here with respect for the Prime Minister if we got a straight answer—if he abided by your ruling. But he cannot even answer the question put directly to him.

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

Resume your seat. I give the call to 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

On the point of order, it has always been the case that, if words are contained within the question, then the answer can be relevant to those words and, by including the reference to the war in Ukraine, that means that references by the Prime Minister to the impact of the war in Ukraine on energy prices are considered relevant, as has always been the case.

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

I'm just going to ask the Prime Minister: was part of the question about the invasion of Ukraine? Of course, any interpretation of the standing orders would make that part of the question relevant, if the Prime Minister is talking about that part of the question. I'm going to ask the House to remain silent while the Prime Minister continues with his answer.

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

Thanks, Mr Speaker. Philip Lowe, the RBA governor, said this about the impact, on an ongoing basis, of Russia's invasion of Ukraine: 'The high inflation that we're currently experiencing is one of the legacies of the pandemic and of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.' That is what Philip Lowe said. That's what everyone here knows is a fact. Those opposite pretend that that hasn't been the case. This has had a global impact on energy prices. We are not immune to that because of the fact that the opposition's policies led to our exposure. (Time expired)