QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator CANAVAN (Queensland—Nationals Whip in the Senate) (14:37): My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. Minister, labour productivity in the electricity, gas, water and waste sector has fallen by six per cent since you came to office. Lower productivity in energy production increases costs and therefore increases energy prices, yet, in the government's productivity paper prepared for its economic roundtable, energy productivity or energy prices were not even mentioned.

How many jobs have been lost because of rising electricity costs on business?