Payne, Sen Marise

Senator PAYNE (New South Wales—Minister for Defence) (14:29): The senator would have to give me a little more context. I didn't hear all of Mr Pyne's interviews this morning. But let's be very clear about what we're talking about there. During the six years that those opposite were in government electricity prices doubled, and they went up each and every year. Federal and state Labor policies have effectively continued to increase pressure on prices in a number of ways, whether they are jobs' destroying gas bans or moratoriums, whether they are unrealistic renewable energy targets, and if it's even open hostility to reliable dispatchable power. We on this side are focused on reducing power prices, and that is exactly what we are going to do.