Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

WILSON () (): My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How will the budget change previous policies in order to address immediate energy affordability pressures and to invest in cleaner, cheaper energy for Australia's future?

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 Fremantle for his question and I thank him for his support of our energy relief package. He knows that the best way of expressing support for our energy relief package is to vote for it, which is apparently a novel concept for those opposite, who had a different way of showing their support—by voting against it. That was their preferred approach.

Of course the budget last night did two things. It provided immediate relief for Australian families and businesses and also set us up for our renewable energy future. We provided that relief in a couple of ways. There are the energy rebates that the Treasurer negotiated with his state and territory colleagues, which provide very important support for families and businesses. Five million households and one million businesses will receive that very vital support, which of course comes on top of the relief provided by our coal and gas caps, which we put on in December. These have led to either smaller increases or, in some cases, reductions in energy bills around the country in various states. This is because of this government's action, which was opposed by those opposite.

The other thing we did last night was introduce a new package—the household energy savings plan—because we on this side know that reducing emissions and reducing bills are the same thing. We understand that. They don't get it. Every time they interject they show they don't get it. The Australian people sent them a memo last May, but the memo was returned to sender. They still don't understand that actually helping Australian households become more energy efficient—

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

If the member for Fairfax interjects once more, he'll leave the chamber. The minister will continue.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would be no loss, Mr Speaker! They show the Australian people that they don't understand that making households more energy efficient and improving energy performance is good for emissions and bills. Last night we allocated a billion dollars to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to assist households make the sorts of decisions they want to make to reduce their bills by investing in clean energy and efficiency.

What I'm particularly proud of also is this: I'm particularly proud of our investment last night in social housing and the energy efficiency of social housing. Much of our social housing stock is very old; public and community housing across Australia is very old and is very energy inefficient. It's very hard for those residents to keep their houses warm in winter and cooler in summer. We're going to help them—up to 60,000 social housing units and houses supported to make their houses more energy efficient and for them to invest in renewable energy, working in partnership with the states. We're very proud of that. Because just because you live in social housing, you shouldn't miss out on the opportunities of renewable energy. You shouldn't miss out on the opportunities of making your home more efficient, which is better for your health, better for the environment and better for your bills. Under this government, you won't miss out.