James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. Can the minister name anywhere in Australia where power prices have been reduced since Labor have been in government?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGrath for his question. I do not follow power prices closely enough to be able to answer the question. I am not sure that there's any person in the chamber who so closely watches power prices that they are able to get that answer.

What I can say is this, Senator McGrath. I did say something similar yesterday. It is the objective of the Albanese government to put downward pressure on power prices so that Australian consumers, householders but also Australian businesses, don't have to pay the high electricity prices that have resulted from your years and years of neglect in this space. We want Australian consumers and businesses to be paying less for their power prices. The things that we have done have included the cap that we have put in place. Firstly, it wasn't easy to make that decision. It wasn't easy to get it through this parliament, because your party opposed all of the changes that might have put downward pressure on electricity prices. So I think it's a little bit rich for you to be coming into this question time and asking these questions when we are in this situation as a result of your neglect. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, a first supplementary?

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister identify a single mortgage holder that has seen their interest rate go down in the past 10 months?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGrath for his question. I have great sympathy for mortgage holders for the situation in which they find themselves and the repeated increases in interest rates. But there is a whole—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat.

Senator Thorpe, I was going to bring it to the chamber's attention. Apparently there is a senator taking photos. We all know that's inappropriate. I remind the chamber not to do that.

Senator Thorpe, I am responding. I expect the government will speak to the senator concerned. Minister Farrell, please continue.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all know the reasons why there's pressure on interest rates in this country. We are not unique in that regard, because there is pressure on interest rates going on right around the world. But, again, this government is trying to do things to reduce the costs of living. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, a second supplementary?

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister identify a single person whose grocery bill is lower today than when Labor came to government?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator McGrath for his question. Again, I can't say that I know the grocery prices of every retail store in the country, and therefore what the consumers themselves choose to buy. I do know that as a matter of practice, having some experience in the retail industry in a former occupation, one thing people do when prices start to rise is change the particular products that they purchase. Again, it's the purpose of this government to try put downward pressure on the cost of living. We're doing that in terms of things like child care. We're doing that— (Time expired)