Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction, Senator Seselja. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Liberals and Nationals in government are securing our energy future, including and especially in regional Australia?

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I will call the minister when there is order.

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm already getting interjections, which I love, from Senator Watt! These are the facts. Electricity costs are now at their lowest level in eight years. In the last two years alone, energy costs for households are down eight per cent and costs for small businesses are down 10 per cent. Our reforms to cap the price of the highest cost electricity deals mean that a typical household can be up to $768 a year better off and a typical small business can be up to $3,000 a year better off. On top of this, an AEMC report released in November shows household electricity bills across the National Electricity Market will continue to fall by a further nearly six per cent on average over the next few years.

That's in stark contrast to when that lot were in government, where we saw 23 consecutive quarters of increases in electricity prices. What do we see now from those opposite? Labor are flip-flopping on the Kurri Kurri project in the Hunter, which will provide 600 direct construction jobs, 1,200 indirect jobs for the Hunter region, and now, after nearly a year of talking down jobs and investment in the Hunter, after nine of his frontbench colleagues opposed the project, the weak Leader of the Opposition, 'Each-Way' Albo, has backflipped on support for a new gas-fired power station in Kurri Kurri. What a conviction politician he is!

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I bring the minister's attention to the fact we need to refer to members of the other place by their correct titles.

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What do some senators over there think about this change of heart? Senators Keneally and McAllister created LEAN, the Labor Environmental Action Network, which said, 'We know that increasing gas supply is not the solution. It's not good for the economy, it's not good for jobs and it's not good for the environment.' There is so much support for Anthony Albanese and his new policy over there on the opposition benches: Senator McAllister, Senator Keneally and the entire frontbench! Nobody believes in it. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Davey, a supplementary question?

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. You mentioned the Kurri Kurri project in the Hunter. Can you explain again, particularly for the benefit of those opposite who may still be wavering, despite Labor's backflip, why the Hunter Power Project is so important?

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): Yes, I can. Closing the Liddell power plant without adequate replacement capacity risks prices rising by around 30 per cent over two years, which is what happened when they were last in government. That's why now, more than ever, it's important to see Kurri Kurri come online. It's a project that, on this side, we've consistently supported. But the Leader of the Opposition said, 'The project doesn't stack up.' Senator McAllister said, 'If you're interested in driving down electricity prices, you'd be mad to use gas.' Chris Bowen said, 'We don't support new gas-fired power stations like Kurri Kurri.' Pat Conroy said, 'It's a massive white elephant.' Mark Butler said, 'We know that coal and gas won't underpin continued prosperity,' and Mark Dreyfus said, 'It's a project that no-one wants.' That is what the Labor party really believe. Forget about what they're saying now, just before an election, in a desperate bid to curry favour with those in the Hunter and elsewhere. They can't be trusted; we've got them with their own words. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Davey, a second supplementary question?

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister outline what the risks are to the continued delivery of affordable and reliable energy for all Australian families and all Australian small-to-medium businesses?

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can: it is those opposite in potential coalition with the Greens. Here in the ACT, we've had a bit of a look at what a Labor-Greens coalition looks like. Anthony Albanese and Adam Bandt want to take that project national. That's what they want to do—they want to take it national. What have we seen here? Well, electricity prices in the rest of the country are going down. What we're seeing in the ACT is that they're projected to go up by four per cent on the back of a 12 per cent increase just last year. Of course, if Anthony Albanese is going to cave to the Greens on energy policy—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They really don't like me talking about their Labor-Greens alliance.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bilyk?

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Once again, Mr President, I draw your attention to the fact that the speaker is not referring to the gentlemen he's referring to by the right title or name.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask everyone to remember that we address members of the other place by their correct titles.

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the Leader of the Opposition is going to cave to the Greens on energy, what else is he going to give the Greens? Is he going to cave to them on their policy to cut defence spending in half? Is he going to cave on their policies to decriminalise hard drugs like ice? He will cave to them on anything to get into government, and that's why he can't be trusted. (Time expired)