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

This week the Australian Energy Market Operator has a dire warning for residents right across New South Wales: your power may go out. Amidst the first real heatwave moving into the Christmas period, our energy grid cannot handle it. I wonder why! It's because we have a Labor government in charge that believes renewables-only will get the country out of the current energy crisis. The Prime Minister and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy are in a fantasy land if they think that the chaos that could occur due to blackouts this summer period is not their fault. The coalition has been calling on this government to wake up and realise that the grid needs affordable, reliable and consistent energy.

A coalition government will ensure we pump gas into our domestic market to provide more supply, bring prices down and secure Australia's heavy industry. A coalition government will invest in nuclear power to stabilise our energy system to take us to net zero. Australian families should not have to worry about whether they can cook dinner or have the lights on to help their kids with their homework at night. This Albanese Labor government is running our energy system into the ground. Only the coalition will fix this, when elected next year.