Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy Affordability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. The Australian Energy Market Operator has warned Australia faces a gas shortage, which could emerge by next winter, and the east coast market would be in yearly supply deficit by 2028. Senex Energy CEO Ian Davies said, 'The gas market is a mess', and, 'Something needs to change, and quickly, before large industries battle for survival and the lights go out.' Why is the Albanese government making life harder for Australian families who are already struggling with Labor's cost-of-living crisis?

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 her question and congratulate her on her elevation to the frontbench. She has asked me several questions already; she is already the most effective shadow minister I've faced this term! But I have to correct her, gently, on the premise of her question. She asked me about the Gas Statement of Opportunities and the shortages that the Gas Statement of Opportunities talks about. I ran the House through, a few minutes ago, how every single equivalent statement in the 10 years those opposite were in office warned of gas shortages—every single one.

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

The member for Page will cease interjecting, as will the member for Hume.

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

And it wasn't just the Gas Statement of Opportunities; those opposite received other warnings. In February 2014 the department of energy said, 'There is uncertainty about the timing and quantum of supply to the domestic market which will flow through to the prices being faced by domestic consumers.'

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

The member for Hume will cease interjecting or be warned.

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

In April 2016 the ACCC said, 'The future supply outlook is uncertain when it comes to gas.' In 2017 the Australian energy market corporation said: 'Reform is needed now to keep pace with the changing east coast gas market and to ensure sufficient flexibility so consumers don't pay more than necessary for their gas.' In September 2017 the ACCC again warned, 'The east coast gas market outlook for 2018 has deteriorated significantly, and significant supply shortfalls are now likely.' These are just a few of the warnings that those opposite received year after year.

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

The minister will pause. The member for Lindsay, on a point of order?

Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy Affordability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order on relevance. Australian families are struggling. Why is the government making it harder in this cost-of-living crisis? I didn't ask about alternative policies.

Government members interjecting—

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

No, the member for Lindsay is entitled to raise a point of order. The minister can answer the question but he simply can't, for the remainder of his answer, talk about the opposition. He can do some compare and contrast, but he is halfway through so he can turn back to what the government is doing, if he disagrees with the premise. The member was entitled to raise that point of order.

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

The honourable member raised the statement of opportunities. As I said, they were warned time after time. What we have done in contrast to those opposite, who did nothing, is introduce the mandatory gas code of conduct, which those opposite opposed. I'll tell you what the mandatory gas code of conduct has done: it has already secured 564 petajoules of legally enforceable additional supply commitments into the domestic market by 2033. In November we announced that another 140 petajoules of gas will be made available between now and 2027. That's what this government's policies have done.

We inherited the situation of ongoing gas shortages, and what we've done is introduce policies to alleviate the situation. That is what we've done, and that is what those opposite failed to do.