Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator McAllister. The Albanese Labor government inherited a mess in the energy market, with rising wholesale prices and retail prices that the coalition shamefully hid. Labor has been committed to providing cost-of-living relief, including putting downward pressure on energy bills. Can the minister please tell us: how is the government working to reduce cost-of-living pressures through Australians' energy bills?

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

Thank you, Senator Grogan. You are right—our No. 1 focus is making life easier for Australians by helping with the cost of living. Over this term we have prioritised acting on energy prices, with two rounds of energy bill relief and our steps to cap gas and energy prices. It is complemented, of course, as you know, by action in the long term to implement our plan for reliable renewables. I'm pleased to advise the chamber that the Albanese Labor government will provide another $150 in energy bill relief, extending our energy rebate until the end of 2025.

Now, this responsible cost-of-living measure will help every household and will help small businesses as well. From 1 July 2025 every household and around one million small businesses will see further rebates, on top of the previous rebates that have already been rolled out to Australian households and small businesses. Treasury estimates that this will directly reduce headline inflation by about half a percentage point in 2025 and reduce household bills by 7.5 per cent on average nationally compared to bills without the extension. It builds on the practical and meaningful steps that we've taken to assist households with cost-of-living over the term—action that the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, has stood against on every possible occasion.

Under Mr Dutton and under Mr Taylor, we know that Australians will be worse off. We know, because they have shown us through their actions—not just by opposing energy price relief but also by opposing cost-of-living measures across the board. They are now opposing, unbelievably, Labor's tax cuts for every taxpayer—not once but twice. It is clear that Mr Dutton will cut everything but your tax. (Time expired)

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

Senator Grogan, a first supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So not only has the coalition opposed the energy price relief for Australian families but their answer is a $600 billion nuclear energy scheme that is going to cost way too much, take way too long and actually drive up energy bills, which Mr Dutton can only pay for by cutting everything—everything, that is, except your tax. How will the Albanese Labor government's approach continue to deliver reliable and affordable energy to Australians?

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

In the longer term we know that reliable renewables are the key to getting prices down, and the Labor Party, backed by experts, are united in implementing that Reliable Renewables plan. We are uniting, which is so key to providing the market with certainty to invest. But, after denial and division and delay for 10 years, which led to 22 failed energy policies, the coalition are still fighting amongst themselves about their signature energy policy—possibly policy 23, 24 or 25; I have lost count.

We have, of course, coalition Senator Canavan who says this about the signature energy policy: 'Nuclear is not going to cut it. We're not serious. We're latching on to it as a silver bullet because it fixes a political issue for us.' We have members of their own party setting up Liberals against nuclear, and we've learned that the Liberal Party has not used nuclear in any of its 24 paid ads running on social media. (Time expired)

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

Senator Grogan, second supplementary?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the $600 billion nuclear scheme creates a range of risks for energy consumers and the Commonwealth budget, how does the Albanese Labor government's plan for reliable and affordable energy avoid these risks, and why did the government take this approach?

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

Those opposite hid price rises in the Australian energy bills before the last election, and now they're trying to do it again. They're trying to hoodwink the Australian people by hiding their nuclear policy before the next election. The biggest risk to Australians in energy policy is the nuclear scheme that is proposed by those opposite, and so many on the other side know it to be true. Not only will this lead to higher bills but Australians will pay again and again when it comes to that $600 billion price tag. It means just one thing: it means cuts—cuts to Medicare, cuts to education, cuts to critical services and cuts they don't want to tell you about before an election. As health minister, Mr Dutton cut $50 billion from public hospitals and cut funding for Medicare, and, if he gets the chance, he will do it all again.