Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Wong. I refer the minister to the report released by the Energy Users Association of Australia, which shows that Australians are paying some of the highest electricity prices in the world. Is the minister aware that a recent Galaxy poll showed that rising energy prices ranked as the No. 1 cost-of-living concern for Queenslanders? I remind the minister that Queensland also currently has the highest unemployment rate in mainland Australia. Why is the Labor government, in its various guises, adding to Queensland's concern over the cost of living and job security by introducing the world's biggest carbon tax, which, according to the Queensland government modelling—your own Labor Party modelling—will increase electricity prices by at least 10 per cent and cost 41,000 Queensland jobs?