Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I think I've seen one or two tantrums in this chamber, usually looking straight opposite—stop smiling, Senator Wong; you shouldn't let yourself be caught out like that—but certainly not from any distinguished colleagues in the National Party.

In relation to the senator's question, I reiterate what I said yesterday: what the government is doing is precisely what the government took to the last election. We promised $10 million of funding for feasibility studies. The feasibility studies are looking at two different projects in relation to the Queensland energy markets. That's what we're funding and that's what we're doing—nothing more, nothing less. There are no further policy decisions that have been taken to take that any further at this stage. Those matters, of course, all depend upon seeing whether or not cases stack up. If cases stack up, then, in large part, it will be a matter of seeing what private sector reaction there is to funding cases that stack up in relation to energy markets.

In terms of energy markets in Australia, and the question about the former minister for resources, who I know has played a big role in energy policy as well, I note that Australia is a country where at present not only our emissions are going down but also, importantly, prices are going down. A critical part for Australia in terms of this government's policy focus is to make sure we have lower emissions and higher reliability but lower prices for Australians as well. Wholesale energy prices have dropped in recent times, in some cases with reductions of up to 35 per cent. The wholesale energy prices for the National Electricity Market for the last quarter of last year were at the lowest level in years. That's what it's about: getting lower prices while making sure we have reliability and emissions reductions, as we promised. (Time expired)