Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Farrell. Earlier this week we asked you how much electricity prices had gone up since the Albanese Labor government was elected. Regrettably, you were unable to answer it. Minister, in the intervening days, have you sought the answers? If so, can you please inform the Senate of how much electricity prices have gone up since the Albanese government was elected?

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

I thank the good senator from Tasmania for her question. I said in response to just about every question you asked yesterday that we're not going to get into this 'gotcha'-moment activity.

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

Senator Birmingham?

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

A point of order: it's hardly a 'gotcha' moment when we're reciting the same question asked some days ago!

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

Senator Birmingham, that's not a point of order. Minister Farrell, please continue.

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

What I can say about what this government has done by comparison to what your government did is to just remember this: when you pushed up the prices of electricity just before the last election, instead of publicly telling people, telling the Australian public, telling all those people up there in the audience, that you'd pushed up the price of electricity, what did you do? You hid—

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

Senator Askew?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: the question was a very straightforward question that needs to be addressed. I'd just ask you to draw the minister back to the question.

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

The minister is reflecting on power prices, but I'll also remind him of the second part of your question.

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

It's highly relevant to the issue of electricity prices when your government failed to disclose to the Australian people, weeks out from an election, that you had pushed—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Gallagher! Minister Farrell, please continue.

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

Thank you, President—and thank you for that protection from Senator Gallagher!

An honourable senator: She wants the job, I'm sure!

And she'd do a very, very good job, too!

No, that's not fair, Senator McGrath.

An honourable senator: You don't reckon?

No, I don't reckon. No. Look, it's highly relevant to the circumstances when your government failed to disclose electricity prices— (Time expired)

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

Senator Askew, a first supplementary question?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this week we asked you how much grocery prices have gone up since the Albanese Labor government was elected, and, again, you were unable to answer it. Minister, in the intervening days, have you sought the answers? If so, can you please inform the Senate of how much groceries have gone up since the Albanese Labor government was elected?

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

I thank Senator Askew for her question. As I said yesterday in answer to a not too dissimilar question, our Prime Minister wakes up every day and thinks to himself how he can assist the Australian population in pushing downward pressure on the cost of living. We did it in respect of electricity prices by introducing a cap on gas prices and coal prices, and that has pushed downward pressure on electricity prices. Of course, some of the beneficiaries—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

It's pushed downward pressure. If you're a supermarket that's using—

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! Minister Farrell, please continue.

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

What's the point of asking—

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

Minister Farrell, please resume your seat.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order, on my left! You have a senator on her feet—a second supplementary, Senator Askew?

Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, earlier this week we asked you how much rental rates had gone up since the Albanese Labor government was elected and, once again, you were unable to answer. In the intervening days, have you sought the answers, and if so, can you please inform the Senate how much rental rates have gone up since the Albanese government was elected?

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

I thank Senator Askew for her second supplementary question. The Albanese government understands quite clearly the sort of pressure that people are under, in terms of rental costs and of mortgage costs. We've seen both of those rise in recent times. That's why the Albanese government has been so keen and worked so hard to put downward pressure on all of the things that are causing distress to the Australian community. I've listed some things already. I've listed child care. In less than 100 days, childcare costs in this country will go down— (Time expired)