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 Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator McAllister. In dollar terms, how much has the average electricity bill gone up since Labor was elected in May 2022?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for the question. I think Australians understand how very difficult things have been in recent times in terms of their cost of living. There have been a range of factors globally which have put enormous pressure into energy markets. When Labor came to government, we were faced with a very difficult situation indeed. It happens that the previous government knew about the pressures in the energy system, and what did they do? Did they take action to fix it? No, they didn't. Their decision was, in fact, to hide it, to actually make a regulation to defer the publication of the energy prices so that—

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

Minister McAllister, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath, on a point of order?

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

On relevance, my question was very tightly written in terms of how much the average electricity bill has gone up since May 2022. The minister, sadly, is nowhere near that question.

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

I will remind the minister of your question. Minister McAllister.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Energy prices are a serious issue. They are a serious issue for households and for businesses. The Albanese government's reliable renewables plan means that wholesale energy prices are now lower than when the coalition left office. What is required is a plan to help ease cost-of-living pressures, and we are doing that. In the last budget, we took a decision to provide every household with $300 off their energy bills, meanwhile the coalition has no plan, no plan at all, to bring electricity prices down now or in the future. Their plan for risky renewable—

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

Please resume your seat. Senator McGrath, on a point of order?

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

I am reluctant to do this but the minister is nowhere near the question. I would ask you to perhaps ask the minister to come back to the question, please.

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

I have directed the minister to the question and I believe the minister has gone to your question.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The senator asks about pricing and, of course, what I can inform the senator is that in the June quarter of 2022, the wholesale electricity price was $264 a megawatt hour. In the June quarter of 2024, the wholesale electricity price is $133 a megawatt hour. Our will plan to get reliable renewables into— (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

Minister, in your previous answer you indicated that wholesale power prices have reduced. When can Australians expect to see a reduction in the energy bills below May 2022 levels?

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can inform the senator is that, under Labor, prices will certainly be lower than anything that could be delivered by anyone on that side of the chamber. Because we need only look at the record of all of you in government to understand the approach that you took to the energy market. During your period of government, four gigawatts of dispatchable generation left the grid and only one gigawatt came on. Power station after power station announced their closure dates, and what steps were taken to replace the capacity that was exiting the grid? Zero. We will remember the Underwriting New Generation Investments initiative proudly propagated by Minister Taylor. How many gigawatts were delivered by the underwriting new generation initiative? Absolutely none. Our government is taking the necessary steps to restore stability to the national electricity market and deliver the reliable renewables that Australians require.

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

Senator McGrath, second supplementary?

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

From May 2022 to May 2024, electricity prices rose 21.5 per cent and gas rose 22.2 per cent. How does this translate to a $275 reduction in power bills that each and every household was promised before Labor was elected over 2½ years ago? Will Labor take the same promise to the next election?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Before I call the minister, I am going to ask for order across the chamber.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would be much higher under you.

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

Order! Senator Wong and Senator Birmingham! I remind all senators that you are to listen in respectful silence. I did caution you about not breaking out after I'd called the minister, and you immediately ignored me. That is disrespectful. Minister McAllister.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I've indicated, we are taking $300 off the power bills of every household. Your plan is to, in two decades, serve up the most expensive form of generation that there is. This is a serious issue for Australians. It's a serious issue for households and for their businesses. But the approach that you suggest is one which is a guarantee of increased prices and poorer reliability.

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

Sorry, Minister McAllister. Senator McGrath.

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

On a point of order of relevance, the question was quite tight in terms of whether Labor will take the same promise to the next election. The minister is currently commenting on the coalition's policies, and I would ask you to ask the minister to address the question, please.

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

Senator McGrath, there were a few sentences before that question where you talked about prices between May 2022 and 2024. You referenced gas and you referenced electricity. I think that the minister is being relevant. Minister, please continue.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition are, of course, always keen to talk about anything but their record. There's a reason for that. Their record in government on energy was so very, very bad, and there was so much work to do when Labor came to government. I can inform the senator that, indeed, households have been under pressure in terms of their electricity bills. It's a consequence of the war in Ukraine that introduced enormous instability into Australian markets and energy markets worldwide, and we are taking action to support households through this transition.