Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for the question. Senator Williams, and all of us in the Nationals, are champions for regional Australia because we live in the regions, our families live in the regions and we know the value of regional Australia to our nation. Because we are connected to our communities, we recognise the concern in the communities about rising electricity prices. That's why the government is doing everything it can to make energy more affordable for households and businesses, from helping consumers to shop around for a better electricity deal to stopping electricity companies from gaming the system to fatten their margins.

We recognise that Australia is a nation of great resources. We know that the resources industry makes a great contribution to our nation. We know that our resources play a very important role in our energy plan. We, on this side, believe that we should be supporting a level playing field, an agnostic approach, that ensures coal, gas, hydro, wind, solar and batteries are all part of our energy mix.

As the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission pointed out, a clean energy target provides no guarantee of turning around the increase in power prices. The new National Energy Guarantee is a key part of the government's response. It will deliver an affordable and reliable energy system as we transition to the energy system of the future. We will be providing certainty for investors in new and existing power plants to unlock more energy supply. We will be reducing the volatility in energy prices and ending subsidies for renewable energy, which are passed on to all energy consumers. Importantly, our plan will keep the lights on by putting in place a guarantee of reliable power so families and businesses will be ensured the readily available power is in the system at all times. Sadly, those opposite are not supporting an affordable and reliable energy system.