Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Farrell, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Yesterday during question time, you declared to the Senate:

What Prime Minister Albanese says , he does.

Mr Albanese said not once but on 97 separate occasions that Australians were going to see a reduction of $275 in their power bills. Minister, when will Australians get a $275 reduction to their power bills?

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

I thank the senator for his question, which seems to be a repeat of questions asked earlier in the week. I have to say that, on a historic day when the Prime Minister announces the recognition of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, here I am at the third question, and we haven't had a single question about the big issue of the day.

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

Minister, Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator O'Sullivan?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: clearly my question was about electricity bills and the prices that Australians can expect to pay, and we're getting an answer on the Voice.

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

I will draw the minister to the question.

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

Prime Minister Albanese, just like me, is deeply concerned about the issue of electricity. The Prime Minister and I are deeply concerned about the issue of electricity prices in this country for ordinary working Australians—and businesses, for that matter. Now, the reality is that the reason that we find ourselves in a situation with escalating electricity prices is the 10 long years of inaction by the former government on the pressures in relation to electricity prices and, of course, the issue of climate change.

Now, what did we do as soon as we came into government? We took action on electricity prices. We sought to put a cap on gas prices. We sought a cap on coal prices to push the price of electricity down. And what did your mob do? You voted against it. You wanted to keep electricity prices high. (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Sullivan, first supplementary?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does Labor's Powering Australia plan say:

It will cut power bills for families and businesses by $275 a year …

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

We have taken all of the action that we have in respect of power prices to put downward pressure on electricity prices in this country to repair the previous nine years of neglect from your government.

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevance: the question asked very simply whether or not Labor's Powering Australia plan said:

It will cut power bills for families and businesses by $275 a year …

I seek leave to—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Senator O'Sullivan, please resume your seat. You were on a point of order. There was so much interjection, it was very hard to hear. I will rule on the point of order. I will direct the minister to your question and I will also ask the minister to—you are seeking leave now? Is leave granted?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I haven't explained what—

Leave not granted.

Honourable senators interjecting—

With respect, President—

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

No, it's not with respect. I asked if leave was granted, and the answer was no. There's no point debating it with me. Please resume your seat. I have the minister on his feet.

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

It is customary, when somebody's seeking to table a document, to—

Honourable senators interjecting—

I don't know what the senator has got in his hand. The leader yesterday had the courtesy to hand me a copy of the document that he wanted to put forward, and I'm happy to look at any document which the opposition seeks to table, and respond.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, the minister has invited you to show him the document so he may consider the response. Senator Birmingham?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Given the invitation of the Acting Leader of the Government in the Senate, here it is, and perhaps he'd like to read the highlighted line to the chamber.

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

So we're going to go back to the question. I've asked the minister to respond to the question and to be relevant to the question.

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

I don't think I can be any clearer about the actions that this government has been taking to reduce the price of electricity in this country for both—

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevance: the question was very tight, and we assisted the minister by providing him with Labor's policy.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, in relation to—

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about your 22 policies? Have you got a ringbinder full of them?

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

Senator Watt, seriously! Senator O'Sullivan, the minister has agreed to look at what you're seeking to table. In relation to your question and your last point of order, I have directed him to the question.

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

This government is serious about putting downward pressure on electricity prices. We came to office, with a former government with something like 22— (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Sullivan, second supplementary?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister say the words 'two hundred and seventy-five dollars'?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

I am going to sit the minister down again until there is respectful silence—from both sides, thank you, Senator Green.

Senator Gallagher!

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

I thank the senator for his second supplementary question. This government is serious about putting downward pressure on electricity prices. I don't think I can be any clearer than that. Right from the time that we took office, we started taking action—

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

Give me a two, give me a seven, give me a five!

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

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath, you are clearly out of order, and I ask you to listen in respectful silence.

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

We started taking action on putting downward pressure on electricity prices in a way—

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevance, President: I asked the question 'Will the minister say the words "two hundred and seventy-five dollars"' because that's what they promised to the Australian people on nine—

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

I will direct the minister to your question.

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

I'm not going to have words or amounts put into my mouth. We have been the government, with the opposition opposed to cutting electricity— (Time expired)