Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Hugh Saunders, a resident of Brighton East in the electorate of Goldstein, was told in January that his energy bill would rise by over $1,700 dollars this year. The member for Goldstein voted for the government's so-called price cap legislation. Will this out-of-touch Prime Minister finally admit that Australian families always pay more under Labor?

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

I thank the member for Flinders for pointing out the fact that the member for Goldstein is a part of the solution, not a part of the problem. She did vote for the legislation that was before this parliament, because Australians have been crying out for action on climate change. One of the reasons why the member for Goldstein is here is her position, which she went to the election on, on supporting action on climate change—like the other crossbenchers up there.

For those opposite, even after Saturday, to not have some sort of bell ringing or some sort of wake-up call after the Victorian state election, where Daniel Andrews increased his majority, I am not quite sure what it would take for them to realise that people want action for the future. Those opposite can be stuck in the past, but we will continue to move forward as part of international action that we need to be part of. Those opposite are just so stuck in the past. The problem isn't that they are frozen in time while the world forms around them; the problem is they want everyone to stay back there and keep them company. Those on this side of the House will not do that. We will continue to engage in a constructive way to get things done in this parliament.

What amazes me is that those opposite actually have an opportunity to participate in debate, but instead they choose to be observers. They don't participate at all in any of the processes that are there before the Senate or in here—they just come in here and vote no, no, no, no to everything. Which is why they get so upset when I say they're the 'no-alition'. If they're upset by that, they should stop acting like it.

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

The Prime Minister will refer to the opposition as the coalition.