Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

I'm not sure that I can offer a response to all of the issues that Senator Roberts traversed there.

But I'd make this point: the government is very aware of the impact on the cost of living of Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation's illegal invasion—violent, brutal, illegal invasion—of Ukraine and the impact that it's had on energy prices. We are very aware of the impact of nearly a decade of energy policy failure in terms of investment in the Australian energy system and its responsiveness to change. We are making the investments now to fix the transmission grid, and we're making sure that it is able to absorb more low-cost renewables and storage. And the government took steps, which were opposed by some people in here, to put caps and other mechanisms in place to make sure that energy prices that rose significantly—spiked significantly—as a result of Russia's illegal war in Ukraine had as much smaller impact on Australian households and businesses.

I acknowledge, though, there are rising costs for Australian families, and the government policy, Senator Roberts, matters—it matters. Sensible, careful policy in the national interest matters, and that is what this government is determined to do. We are a government that does what we said we would to do, and that is the course upon which we are embarking. Bringing it back to this legislation, this legislation is completely consistent with the approach that the government took during the election to fiscal prudence and to making sure that no Australians are left behind.