Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Cormann. The former Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, Julie Bishop, has called on the Morrison government to work with Labor to secure a bipartisan agreement on the National Energy Guarantee to:

… establish a long-term, stable regulatory framework that will support private-sector investment in generating capacity.

Does the Prime Minister agree with Ms Bishop?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I agree 100 per cent with Ms Bishop that we should have a bipartisan policy framework which supports lower electricity prices and more reliable energy supplies, and if the Labor Party wants to walk away from its obsession with a carbon tax, which will harm the economy and harm families, we're all ears. If you want to drop your completely irresponsible pursuit of an excessive renewable energy target then we're all ears. If you want to work with us in relation to a sensible, appropriately balanced energy policy framework which helps to facilitate investment to increase energy supplies and which helps bring electricity prices down, we are all ears. Bill Shorten was never prepared to do it. Bill Shorten was never prepared to constructively engage with former Prime Minister Turnbull when he did pursue the National Energy Guarantee. The opportunity was there for Mr Shorten, but, of course, Mr Shorten chose to do what he always does: he played politics; he put his perceived political self-interest ahead of the national interest. That's what Mr Shorten did, and he's still playing politics. Our focus is on doing the right thing by Australians, our focus is on doing the right thing by Australian families, and our focus is on bringing electricity prices down and making sure that we continue to keep the lights on and provide reliable energy supplies—and doing so in a way that is environmentally as efficient as possible.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In August, Mr Morrison declared: 'If you're for lower electricity prices, you're for the National Energy Guarantee'. So, is Mr Morrison for the National Energy Guarantee?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister and every single Liberal and National member and senator are for lower electricity prices, for more reliable energy supplies and, indeed, for ensuring that we deliver lower electricity prices and reliable energy supplies in a way that is environmentally efficient. What we are against is driving the cost of electricity up and up—as Labor has done in the past and as Labor would do in the future—because we understand that would harm our economy and it would harm families. Go right ahead: go to the next election on the rerun of your carbon tax policy of 2010 and subsequently—the one that was never supposed to happen. Remember:

There will be no carbon tax under a government I lead.

That is what Ms Gillard said. This morning, Mr Dreyfus was asked, 'Will you have a carbon tax?' and he said:

… I am not going to play the rule out game.

Everybody in Canberra knows that that is code for yes. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The National Energy Guarantee has been approved by the coalition party room three times. It is widely supported by business and energy experts and the government has repeatedly said it would lower power prices by $550, so why won't this Prime Minister work with Labor to deliver a National Energy Guarantee?

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've got to say: where was the Labor Party the last three years? Where has the Labor Party been? I've got to say: we have moved on. We have further refined our policy approach to ensure that we can deliver lower electricity prices and more reliable energy supplies and do so in a way that is, environmentally, as efficient as possible.