Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to talk to you about the urgency motion on power bills and the need for the Albanese Labor government to admit that power bills across Australia have increased significantly since they came to office and made this promise—nearly 97 times—that power bills would be reduced by $275. Instead, the exact opposite has happened. In fact, power bills have increased by around $1,300. Now, if there's something you can say about Labor, it is that they are even-handed, because not only have they put downward pressure on big business but they've also put downward pressure on small business, and that results in downward pressure on families. It is families who are bearing the brunt of the Albanese government's rush to renewables—this crazy, 'all eggs in one basket', physics-defying energy policy that they have embraced.

What do higher prices mean? They mean that big businesses that manufacture are having to load share. They are having to stop work. They are having to reduce profitability and productivity and, in some cases, put off jobs. What do they mean for small businesses? Since Labor got into government, 29,000 small businesses have gone to the wall—due, in large part, to the increase in power prices. What does that mean? It means that those businesses don't operate. It means that they don't pay tax. They certainly don't employ people, and they don't employ apprentices or people in regional places—places where there aren't government jobs. Finally, what do they mean for families? If it's not bad enough that you might be paying so much more for electricity that you're having to choose whether or not to send the kids to sport or enjoy some time as a family going to the movies or doing something else—and we're seeing homelessness peak under this Albanese Labor government—we're also seeing families losing jobs in big businesses and small businesses that have already been put to the wall by this Labor government.

We're coming up to an election very soon, and there is a very clear decision for Australians. Under the Albanese Labor government, another three years will cripple Australia. It will cripple Australian families and businesses; it will cripple jobs and future prosperity. That's what another three years of this economically destructive government looks like. Or you could choose a different path, a path back to prosperity and being the nation that we have enjoyed, with opportunities for all. If you care to work hard, move to regional places, build your own business and raise your family, that can be a great life. But, under the Albanese Labor government, Australians are looking at a very grim future.

The upside is, of course, that Labor governments, both federal and state, can feel very pious about what they believe they're delivering with a renewables-only energy plan—but it also looks like Australians being very poor. That is not an acceptable choice in a country that is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, whether it be uranium, coal, gas or, yes, sun and wind. Under the Albanese Labor government, we're going to disregard all of those blessings. We are going to continue down a road where we provide subsidies for energy bills that will cost the Australian taxpayer $6.8 billion but leave them with nothing after paying that bill. The coalition is proposing structural change to energy plans and energy delivery—something that will leave Australians more prosperous, with more jobs, more industry, more taxes and more ability to deliver the important programs, like Medicare and the NDIS. We are economically responsible to deliver that.