Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

Labor won't be supporting this amendment. I am horrified by the approach taken by the government to the energy system. I am horrified by the continual discussion about direct investment and public money being applied to new or old coal-fired power stations. I think the approach that they are taking is ad hoc, political and totally failing the public. But the solution proposed by the Greens in this amendment doesn't deal with the material problem in this bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Prohibiting Energy Market Misconduct) Bill 2019. In Labor's view, the role of the ACCC and of the courts set out in the legislation that is actually before us in the chamber appropriately removes ministerial discretion and adequately addresses these concerns. On that basis, we won't be supporting the amendment.