QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:56): Senator Brown, you're right; with the war in the Middle East, global energy markets are indeed once again under some pressure. That underscores the importance of the work that this government, and in particular Minister Bowen, has been leading over the course of this year in all aspects of our energy system—none more important than building a new modern, Australian, reliable electricity grid, with Australian wind, solar batteries and gas.

Vladimir Putin in Ukraine can't stop the wind blowing in Australia. The Iranians may be able to block the Strait of Hormuz but they cannot stop the Australian sun shining on the roofs of Australian households, securing Australian energy to drive down prices for Australians. Just one of these programs, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, has made an outsized impact for businesses and for households.

Opposition senators interjecting— Senator AYRES: It's the old outrage metre over here. It's a complete mystery. I don't want to divert myself off my own topic, but when everything comes along and you get so angry but you get smaller, they get so angry and they get bigger.

What's going on? It's this mystery of political thermodynamics that just keeps happening to you. Is it physics?

Is it chemistry or biology? You don't know, but you keep doing it. You get angrier and angrier, and you get smaller and smaller.

What is going on over there with the once great Liberal and National parties? The PRESIDENT: Senator Brown, first supplementary?