Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question goes to the Prime Minister. The Albanese Labor government has created a cost-of-living crisis, a gas crisis, a crime crisis, a rent crisis, an energy crisis and a housing crisis. The Prime Minister promised on nearly 100 occasions that he would cut power bills by $275 a year. With families now paying up to $1,000 more than Labor promised, can the Prime Minister point to a single Australian paying less for energy now than they were three years ago?

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

I thank the member for his question. We have faced serious global challenges over the past three years—

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

The member for La Trobe is warned.

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

and Australians have done the hard work to turn things around, and we are seeing results. The fact is that inflation is coming down; it is down to 2.4 per cent from the six per cent plus that we inherited. Wages are rising, making a substantial difference as well. Taxes have been lowered as a result of the government's changes that we made and legislated through this parliament, that those opposite said we should call an election over because they hated them so much. And we have had a range of cost-of-living measures that I'm asked about.

All those cost-of-living measures have something in common: they were all opposed by those opposite, including the member for Fairfax. The member for Fairfax was one of those people who opposed our $300 rebate on energy bills for every single Australian household. That has made a difference and it was opposed by those opposite—just like they opposed cheaper medicines that have benefited Australians to the tune of over $1 billion. They opposed cheaper child care that has delivered lower costs, on average, of around about $2,700. They have opposed the measures that we've put in place, but they have come up with some policies, including one by the member for Fairfax. They came up with three policies in total. To give the member for Fairfax credit, he is one-third of the brains trust of those opposite. They came up with a $600 billion nuclear plan. $600 billion! They then came up with, of course, another plan, which is $10 billion for long lunches for business. They had that. But then, of course, they've come up with a third plan, announced on the Insiders program, that they're going to cut everything to pay for it. They won't tell you what they're going to cut—

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

I'm going to hear from the member for Fairfax on a point of order.

Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is on relevance. The question to the Prime Minister was whether he could point to a single Australian paying less for energy now than they were three years ago. He is not addressing that question whatsoever.

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

The question had a lot of moving parts to it.

I appreciate the Leader of the Opposition giving me some wise counsel. On this, with so many moving parts to a question, it can contain a lot—sometimes we've had tight questions this week; I absolutely agree with that. But this is broad by anyone's definition. If the Prime Minister is talking about relief or any of the topics that you had at the beginning, he's going to be directly relevant, and he's going to be heard in silence.

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

They don't want people to know about the three policies that they've got. I'm just trying to help them out! But, make no mistake: if this bloke over here becomes Prime Minister, he'll be sending Australians the bill. That is the fact. He'll make you pay. You won't get lunch, but you will pay the bill. When the lunch bill comes, it'll be through your taxes that you will pay for it. You won't get any electricity from nuclear reactors either, but you'll pay the bill. That is all you get from those opposite—just complaints and talking Australia down. Yesterday the Leader of the Opposition was out there cheering for higher interest rates as well. They don't want Australians to succeed, because they see that as a way through for them. (Time expired)