Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Mount Gambier based food manufacturers, Sugar and Spice, in my electorate of Barker is at breaking point. Since 2020—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my right, I'm not sure what is being so exercised here, but—

A government member: He's reading the question!

As I said, people can read things in the chamber. We're going to reset the clock so the member can read his question.

Government members interjecting—

No—which he is entitled to do. We're not going to have any interjections about it. The member for Barker has the call.

Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Mount Gambier food based manufacturer, Sugar and Spice, in my seat of Barker, is at breaking point. Since 2020 they have seen energy costs rise by 36 per cent. That's despite seeing usage decline. Owners Victor and Tanya have told me, 'The significant rise in energy costs since Labor have come to office is very disappointing.' Prime Minister, when will Australian families pay the price for Labor's economic incompetence?

Government members interjecting—

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

No, we're just going to handle this. The member for Barker didn't get to his question in time. That means, if a minister now goes over time, I don't want anyone interjecting, 'It's time.' I'm trying to be flexible with questions to make sure questions are asked, so enough of the yelling at me, 'Time', okay? It's a two-way street. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I thank the member for Barker for his question and for being here after three o'clock during question time; well done, son! And it's Thursday—so a special stamp for the member for Barker! It is an electorate I've also been to—and I invited the member for Barker when I went to his electorate, and he attended as well. We talked to many people in that electorate—

Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where'd we go? Do you remember?

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

Order! The member for Barker has asked his question. The Prime Minister is going to be heard in silence.

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

who were doing it tough there in the Riverland during what was just one of the many natural disasters I've had to attend as Prime Minister in the just over two years I have had the great honour of being Prime Minister. That is not just why we are seeking the cheapest form of new energy because of the economics that will drive down energy costs; we're also doing it because of the cost of inaction to our natural environment. There is an enormous cost of inaction—and that was exacerbated, of course, by the 10 years they were in office, where they had 22 energy plans but didn't nail a single one. We have one energy plan, and we are implementing it—

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

The member for Grey will cease interjecting.

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

with a 43 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. What that is doing is driving the opportunities that are there for business to invest, because greater supply of renewable energy at the lowest cost form of new energy will lead to, over a period of time, the lowering of our costs.

The environment minister, earlier on today, spoke about the 50 renewable energy projects that have been ticked off—enough to power more than three million homes. We have seen a 25 per cent increase in renewables in the national grid, we have seen over 330,000 rooftop solar installations in the last year alone and we are already halfway to meeting our 2030 emissions target. This is the progress that we have made over the last two years. We know that there has been an impact on global energy as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That occurred right around the world. But what we're dealing with is a plan that deals with the immediate cost-of-living pressures through our Energy Price Relief Plan, whilst we're putting in place an energy system that will lead to the cheapest form of energy being provided to households and to small businesses.