PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Ms PRICE (Durack) (13:18): I rise in support of the motion moved by the member for Wannon. I support this motion because energy affordability affects every Australian. Whether they are a small-business owner, a parent or a pensioner, they are feeling the pinch of rising energy costs every day.
At the 2022 election, Labor promised lower power bills. He may not have said it 50 times, but the Prime Minister sure did say a lot, through that campaign, that power bills would go down by $275. There has not been a reduction in power bills—another broken promise by the Labor government.
The reality is that electricity costs continue to rise, and households across regional Western Australia continue to pay higher prices. This motion notes that a record number of Australians are carrying energy debts, with many facing further increases in their power bills. The motion also notes that Australians were promised lower power prices and instead are paying more.
Despite the lecturing we get from those opposite regarding the cost-of-living support that the Labor government is providing, regional Western Australians are still dealing with the rising costs of groceries, insurance and fuel. Sadly, higher energy prices are adding another layer of financial stress to everyday Australians. In regional Western Australia, higher energy costs don't just affect the household budgets.
They affect industry. From agriculture and mining to manufacturing and transport, affordable energy underpins our economic activity. When energy prices increase, those costs flow through to our families.
It is this government's failed energy policy that has caused electricity costs to rise by some 21.5 per cent in the 12 months to December 2025. Who doesn't love a rebate in their electricity bill? Well, I do.
I'm sure everyone in this House appreciates that. But temporary relief does not reduce the underlying cost of electricity. Good energy policy should deliver three things: affordability, reliability and sustainability.
These three things are the basis of the coalition's energy policy. We believe that Australia should pursue a balanced energy mix that makes use of all available resources and technologies rather than placing all our energy security in the hands of one resource. By scrapping net zero, this can be achieved.
We all know that a policy of net zero costs everyday Australians and everyday taxpayers billions of dollars as the Labor Party continues to subsidise renewable energy. And, despite all of this investment by the Albanese Labor government, energy prices continue to rise, and Australians pay the price. We of course support investment in renewable energy—of course we do—but we must also recognise the importance of gas, coal and nuclear in providing reliable and affordable energy.
The coalition will lift the ban on nuclear and supports it as part of Australia's long-term future. Nuclear energy provides reliable 24-hour zero-emissions power and is already used successfully in many of the world's most advanced economies. We will end Labor's carbon taxes, including the safeguard mechanism and Labor's car and ute tax as well.
Labor are focused on their net zero obsession; we will not be focused on that. The coalition is committed to making Australia the energy superpower it once was, using our natural resources, investing in technology and scrapping net zero. Western Australians understand the value of practical energy policy.
They're a practical mob, especially in regional Western Australia. For decades, our domestic gas reservation policy has helped support energy security, local industry and affordable power. It shows how valuable our natural resources are to our energy systems.
We are one of the most energy-rich nations in the world. You have to ask yourself why, then, do Australian families feel poorer under the Albanese government? Under Labor, energy prices have skyrocketed, while emissions have gone up.
This is a failure of government. A coalition government will deliver lower energy prices, support industry, strengthen regional communities and ensure our energy system remains reliable for future generations. (Time expired)