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Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan)

Current status

This bill became law on Dec 16th, 2022.

Policy area

Climate, energy & environment

What does this bill do?

Australia can now use mandatory gas market rules to control how gas suppliers and buyers negotiate, share information and resolve disputes in the wholesale market.

Why was it introduced?

High gas prices and weak voluntary gas market arrangements left businesses and households exposed to unaffordable energy costs. The bill lets the Energy Minister impose temporary gas price controls and mandatory market rules, and lets the Commonwealth fund temporary electricity bill relief.

Broader context

Australia’s east coast gas market was still relying on weak voluntary arrangements when the war in Ukraine pushed energy prices sharply higher, leaving households, manufacturers and small businesses exposed to rising gas and electricity bills. In December 2022 the Albanese government, with National CabinetThe meeting of the Prime Minister, state premiers and territory chief ministers that backed the energy price relief plan. backing, rushed through this bill to allow temporary gas price controls, mandatory market rules and Commonwealth-funded electricity bill relief, and it became law the next day.

Key criticism

The main case against the bill was that rushed gas price caps and broad intervention powers could backfire by discouraging investment, tightening gas supply and still leaving households with higher power bills. That criticism was pushed strongly by the Coalition and echoed by some economists and gas-sector opponents, while a few crossbench supporters mainly wanted better transparency and consultation rather than rejecting the bill outright.

Who supported it?

Jim Chalmers MP introduced this bill. In the House final vote, support came from Labor, Greens, some crossbench members; opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, some crossbench members.

Introduced in House 15 Dec 2022
Passed House 15 Dec 2022 Aye 85 No 41
Passed Senate 15 Dec 2022 Aye 28 No 22
Became law 16 Dec 2022

Did it become law?

Yes

Became law 16 Dec 2022

Final passage

Recorded final vote

2 counted final-passage votes were recorded.

Passage speed

1 day

From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

Meaning

What does this bill do?

  1. Australia can now use mandatory gas market rules to control how gas suppliers and buyers negotiate, share information and resolve disputes in the wholesale market.

  2. The Energy Minister can impose a temporary gas price order, after consulting the Australian Competition and Consumer CommissionThe competition regulator the Energy Minister must consult before making a temporary gas price order, and whose review is used to support the gas price settings., to regulate gas prices and other supply terms for up to 12 months.

  3. Gas rules can set prices or price caps, require prices to be reasonable, and force suppliers and buyers into formal dispute processes including binding arbitrationA formal dispute process where an outside decision-maker sets the outcome and both sides must accept it. over pre-contract prices.

  4. Gas companies and others can face civil penalties, infringement noticesOn-the-spot enforcement notices for smaller breaches of the new gas rules, alongside bigger penalties and court orders., public warning notices and court orders if they break the new gas rules or try to dodge them through avoidance schemes.

  5. The Act also lets the Commonwealth fund up to $1.5 billion in temporary electricity bill relief for eligible households and small businesses through agreements with states and territories.

Show source excerpts
  1. The Government is also addressing longer-term issues in the wholesale gas market to ensure that there is a reliable and affordable supply of gas to the domestic market. Schedule 1 to the Bill allows mandatory codes (known as gas market codes) to be made to regulate conduct in relation to the supply and acquisition of gas. The Government intends to implement a gas market code in relation to wholesale gas to address bargaining power imbalances and systemic issues which may limit buyers’ ability to negotiate gas supply contracts on reasonable terms.
    Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) explanatory memorandum
  2. Second, the Minister may make gas market emergency price orders regulating the terms on which gas commodities are supplied or acquired, specifically including price. A gas market emergency price order is designed to provide short-term relief from the current energy crisis. The Minister’s power to make gas market emergency price orders sunsets 12 months after the commencement of any order, or 12 months after commencement of the enabling provision in Schedule 1 to the Bill if no order is made. The Minister must consult the ACCC prior to making a gas market emergency price order, and an order is automatically repealed after 12 months. Gas market emergency price orders provide the basis for emergency price regulation of gas, primarily to reduce domestic prices and address the current energy crisis.
    Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) explanatory memorandum
  3. The proposed gas market code for the wholesale gas market will be mandatory and improve upon the current Voluntary Code of Conduct by strengthening requirements related to transparency, reporting, pricing and timeframes for negotiating. It is intended that the gas market code will include a reasonable pricing framework and formal dispute resolution process, with binding arbitration, for the resolution of pre-contractual disputes. While the gas market code will place obligations on both suppliers and buyers, greater obligations will be placed on suppliers to address imbalances in bargaining power in current market conditions.
    Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) explanatory memorandum
  4. Consequences of contravening the gas market provisions include civil penalties, infringement notices, warning notices and orders under Part VI.
    Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) as-passed bill text
  5. The amendments use the existing appropriation in the FFR Act. The Commonwealth will be entering into temporary energy bill relief agreements with each of the States and Territories to provide financial assistance of $1.5 billion in total. As the amount payable to each State and Territory will be subject to individual temporary energy bill relief agreements, the amendments provide flexibility in the overall amount payable, reflecting that when each of the agreements are added together, they may not result in financial assistance of exactly $1.5 billion.[Schedule 2, items 4 and 7, sections 15F and 22]
    Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) explanatory memorandum

Context

Broader context for this bill

Australia’s east coast gas market was still relying on weak voluntary arrangements when the war in Ukraine pushed energy prices sharply higher, leaving households, manufacturers and small businesses exposed to rising gas and electricity bills. In December 2022 the Albanese government, with National CabinetThe meeting of the Prime Minister, state premiers and territory chief ministers that backed the energy price relief plan. backing, rushed through this bill to allow temporary gas price controls, mandatory market rules and Commonwealth-funded electricity bill relief, and it became law the next day.

  1. 2022

    Russia's invasion of Ukraine drives an energy price shock

    Speakers backing the bill said the war in Ukraine had generated an energy crisis that pushed up gas and electricity costs for Australian households and businesses.

    Hansard ↗
  2. 2022

    Rising bills expose weak gas market arrangements

    The bill was framed as a response to high gas prices and weak voluntary gas market arrangements that left consumers exposed to unaffordable energy costs.

    Why introduced ↗
  3. December 2022

    National CabinetThe meeting of the Prime Minister, state premiers and territory chief ministers that backed the energy price relief plan. backs an energy price relief plan

    The government's second reading speech said premiers and chief ministers signed up to a plan combining gas market intervention with temporary electricity bill relief.

    Hansard ↗
  4. 15 Dec 2022

    Parliament passes the bill

    Both houses passed the bill on the same day, clearing the way for temporary gas price caps, mandatory gas market rules and up to $1.5 billion in electricity bill relief.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  5. 16 Dec 2022

    Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. makes the energy relief plan law

    Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. turned the bill into an Act, giving the Commonwealth the legal power to intervene in the gas market and fund bill relief deals with states and territories.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗

Legislative route

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 15 Dec 2022

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 15 Dec 2022

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Second reading debate 15 Dec 2022

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

House second reading agreed Aye 85 No 40 15 Dec 2022

Recorded vote: 85 to 40.

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Consideration in detail 15 Dec 2022

The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.

Consideration in detail debate

House third reading agreed Aye 85 No 41 15 Dec 2022

Recorded vote: 85 to 41.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Introduced 15 Dec 2022

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 15 Dec 2022

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Second reading debate 15 Dec 2022

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate second reading agreed Aye 29 No 24 15 Dec 2022

Recorded vote: 29 to 24.

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Committee of the Whole debate 15 Dec 2022

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate third reading agreed Aye 28 No 22 15 Dec 2022

Recorded vote: 28 to 22.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Passed both houses 15 Dec 2022

Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.

Finally passed both Houses

Assent 16 Dec 2022

The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe formal step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.

Key criticism

The main case against this bill

The main case against the bill was that rushed gas price caps and broad intervention powers could backfire by discouraging investment, tightening gas supply and still leaving households with higher power bills. That criticism was pushed strongly by the Coalition and echoed by some economists and gas-sector opponents, while a few crossbench supporters mainly wanted better transparency and consultation rather than rejecting the bill outright.

Crossbench reservations were mostly about transparency, consultation and whether the cap was the best long-term tool.

Could cut supply and investment

Critics argued the gas price cap and longer-running 'reasonable price' rules would deter investment in new supply, worsen shortages and leave the market weaker over time.

Raised by Coalition speakers including Angus Taylor, Ted O'Brien, Paul Fletcher, Henry Pike and Andrew Willcox, as well as economists and a commodity analyst cited publicly Source ↗

Unlikely to deliver the promised bill relief

Opponents said the package would not genuinely bring bills down, but at best slow already large increases, making it a poor answer to Labor's promised household savings.

Raised by Peter Dutton, Angus Taylor, Paul Fletcher, Keith Pitt and Luke Howarth Source ↗

Rushed process and broad powers

A separate criticism was that the bill was pushed through too quickly, with too little consultation or scrutiny, while giving the government unusually strong powers to set terms in the gas market.

Raised by Coalition speakers and some crossbenchers; Monique Ryan sought disclosure of the ACCC report and supporting evidence, and Zali Steggall called for more consultation Source ↗

Further sources

afr.com ↗ parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗ parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗

Votes

Recorded votes

How the bill itself passed

The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.

Carried

House passed the bill

Aye 85 No 41

Passed 85 to 41. Support came from Labor, Greens, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 61 / 0
Unknown 17 / 20
Liberal Party 0 / 12
Nationals 0 / 9
Independent 6 / 0
Greens 1 / 0
Carried

Senate passed the bill

Aye 28 No 22

Passed 28 to 22. Support came from Labor, Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 15 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Unknown 5 / 5
Greens 6 / 0
Nationals 0 / 5
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1

Earlier bill-stage votes

Carried

House cleared second reading

Aye 85 No 40

Passed 85 to 40. Support came from Labor, Greens, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 61 / 0
Unknown 17 / 20
Liberal Party 0 / 12
Nationals 0 / 8
Independent 6 / 0
Greens 1 / 0
Carried

Senate cleared second reading

Aye 29 No 24

Passed 29 to 24. Support came from Labor, Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 15 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 12
Unknown 5 / 6
Greens 7 / 0
Nationals 0 / 5
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1

Amendments at a glance

Amendments grouped by chamber. These cards include amendment outcomes recorded without a counted division.

House

Carried

Windfall tax and power bill freeze rejected

Aye 76 No 5

Passed 76 to 5. Support came from Labor, Liberal Party, and Nationals. Opposition came from Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

This let the bill proceed at second reading and kept the government’s energy price relief package moving through the House.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 39 / 0
Unknown 24 / 3
Independent 5 / 1
Liberal Party 4 / 0
Nationals 4 / 0
Greens 0 / 1
Carried

Rushed energy plan criticism rejected

Aye 85 No 40

Passed 85 to 40. Support came from Labor, Greens, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

This defeated the House amendment and left the bill’s second reading motion unchanged.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 61 / 0
Unknown 17 / 20
Liberal Party 0 / 12
Nationals 0 / 8
Independent 6 / 0
Greens 1 / 0

Senate

Defeated

Call for windfall tax and bill freeze

Aye 7 No 38

Defeated 7 to 38. Support came from Greens. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents.

15 Dec 2022

The Greens’ proposed second-reading statement did not pass, so the bill continued without those calls being added to the motion.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 14
Liberal Party 0 / 10
Unknown 0 / 8
Greens 7 / 0
Nationals 0 / 4
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated

Send energy bill to inquiry

Aye 23 No 29

Defeated 23 to 29. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

The bill was not sent to a committee inquiry and remained on the fast track to debate and passage.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 15
Liberal Party 12 / 0
Unknown 5 / 5
Greens 0 / 7
Nationals 5 / 0
Independent 0 / 1
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
One Nation 1 / 0
Defeated

Reject fossil fuel subsidies

Aye 8 No 44

Defeated 8 to 44. Support came from Greens and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents.

15 Dec 2022

The chamber did not add that anti-subsidy position to the bill’s second-reading motion.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 15
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Unknown 0 / 11
Greens 7 / 0
Nationals 0 / 5
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated

Delay gas code rules until review

Aye 25 No 28

Defeated 25 to 28. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, and One Nation. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, and minor parties and independents. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

This defeated the proposed disallowance-based commencement rule for the gas regulations.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 15
Liberal Party 12 / 0
Unknown 6 / 5
Greens 0 / 7
Nationals 5 / 0
Independent 0 / 1
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Carried

Strip out gas market schedule

Aye 29 No 23

Passed 29 to 23. Support came from Labor, Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and One Nation. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

This preserved the bill’s gas-market schedule in committee.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 15 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Unknown 5 / 6
Greens 7 / 0
Nationals 0 / 5
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated

Strip out gas market schedule

Aye 24 No 27

Defeated 24 to 27. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor, Greens, and Jacqui Lambie Network. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

This finished defeating the opposition package and left the bill’s gas-market provisions intact.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 15
Liberal Party 11 / 0
Unknown 6 / 5
Greens 0 / 6
Nationals 5 / 0
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 1
One Nation 1 / 0
Defeated

Create cost of living inquiry

Aye 25 No 26

Defeated 25 to 26. Support came from Liberal Party, Nationals, Jacqui Lambie Network, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

15 Dec 2022

The chamber adopted the report without creating the extra inquiry into the bill’s energy-market and price effects.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 15
Liberal Party 11 / 0
Unknown 6 / 5
Greens 0 / 6
Nationals 5 / 0
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Defeated

Second-reading amendment defeated on voices

The Senate defeated an amendment on voices during the second-reading stage.

Defeated on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

Carried

Second-reading motion amended on voices

The Senate agreed to an amendment on voices before voting on the second-reading motion as amended.

Carried on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.

Parliamentary debate

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Jim Chalmers

Australian Labor Party • MP 15 Dec 2022

Chalmers supports the bill, but the provided extract does not include any substantive remarks explaining the case for it; the vote record points to government support.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead opposing voice Opposes

Malcolm Roberts

Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party • Senator 15 Dec 2022

Roberts opposes the bill and says One Nation will vote against it because it uses Soviet-style price controls and broader industry powers that he believes will not fix energy prices.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead supporting voice Supports

Larissa Waters

Australian Greens • Senator 15 Dec 2022

Waters says the Greens will support the bill as a small but necessary step to bring down power bills, but argues it does far too little because coal and gas companies should be paying for the transition and broader relief is still needed.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead non-major voice Supports

Tammy Tyrrell

Jacqui Lambie Network • Senator 15 Dec 2022

Tyrrell supports the bill because she thinks it will provide at least some relief to people facing rising energy bills, even though she says it is rushed, incomplete and leaves key details undecided.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Labor

4 speakers · 5 contributions · 4 support

  1. Katy Gallagher 2 contributions Gallagher supports the bill and says it will help relieve pressure on households, jobs, industry and manufacturing by stabilising gas and electricity prices.

    Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Katy Gallagher on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.

    Second reading speech Australian Labor Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Gallagher supports the bill and says it will help relieve pressure on households, jobs, industry and manufacturing by stabilising gas and electricity prices. She argues it is part of the government’s broader energy plan and a short-term response to market volatility while Australia transitions to cheaper renewable power.

    “The bill contains measures which will contribute to stabilising gas prices in times of significant volatility in global energy markets. Without any intervention, retail gas prices are expected to increase by 20 per cent in 2023-24 and retail electricity prices are expected to increase by 36 per cent in 2023-24. High wholesale gas prices impact industrial and commercial customers' viability and result in households ultimately paying higher prices for electricity, gas and goods. The government is committed to ensuring Australian consumers and businesses have access to an adequate supply of gas at reasonable prices.”
    Read this contribution in Hansard ↗

    Second reading speech Australian Labor Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Gallagher supports the bill and says it is needed to deliver urgent energy bill relief, cap gas prices, and protect households, small businesses, jobs, and manufacturing from soaring costs. She argues the legislation is a necessary, targeted response to the energy crisis and should pass immediately.

    “That's why we must pass this Bill, and pass it today.”
    Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
  2. Anthony Albanese Albanese supports the bill and says it is urgent because it will cut power prices now while backing jobs, manufacturing and households.
    “Well, the choice for this parliament today is very clear: you can vote for this plan and vote for lower power prices, or you can vote against it and vote for higher prices. You can vote for this plan and stand up for jobs, for industry, and for households, or you can vote against it and stand with companies banking record profits and sending them offshore. That's the choice. Vote for this plan and be part of the solution, or vote against it and be part of the problem. The opposition will be held to account for their decision. We know where we stand. We stand for Australian manufacturing and we stand for Australian households, and this legislation will support both. That is what this bill will do.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Chris Bowen Bowen supports the bill and says it is needed to cap gas prices and protect Australians and manufacturers from unfair energy price rises driven by the war in Ukraine.
    “We stand for electricity prices not being elevated by the war in Ukraine. We stand for gas companies being able to make a fair profit but not an unfair, elevated profit off the back of the war in Ukraine. This bill will cap gas prices at $12 a gigajoule. Ninety-six per cent of gas in 2021 was sold for less than $12 a gigajoule. The average price was $9.20. That was a fair price. The gas companies were not complaining. They were making decent profits. Since then we have seen those prices skyrocket.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Jim Chalmers ★ Chalmers supports the bill, but the provided extract does not include any substantive remarks explaining the case for it; the vote record points to government support.
    “Thursday, 15 December 2022”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Coalition

14 speakers · 13 oppose · 1 mixed

  1. Jonathon Duniam Duniam says the opposition will back targeted energy relief, but not this package as drafted because it includes extreme interventionist measures and should be split up.
    “I will make the point as well, of course, that we do support targeted relief for Australian households and Australian businesses—relief from cost-of-living increases that actually works and will deliver reductions in power bills and in the cost of fuel, food and all of the other essentials that households and businesses need. I foreshadow as well that we have an amendment in the committee stage that goes to separating out the part of the bill that colleagues in the other place have indicated we would support in order to provide relief to Australian households and businesses, but not the other extreme interventionist components of this bill. This bill isn't targeted relief that will work.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Susan McDonald McDonald opposes the bill, saying it goes far beyond household relief and would damage investment, gas supply and jobs.
    “We support household relief. We asked to split this bill to allow for that part to be passed singly, but Labor voted that down, because they are more interested in playing politics than in good policy.”

    National Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Peter Dutton Dutton opposes the bill and moves an amendment that would decline a second reading, arguing the government rushed the package without consultation, modelling, or a credible plan to cut power prices.
    “I move the amendment standing in my name in relation to this bill:”

    Liberal Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Bridget McKenzie Bridget McKenzie opposes the bill, saying it is a political cover-up and that price controls will not lower power bills.
    “I rise to speak against the Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022. It's never the lie that's the problem; it's always the cover-up. And this legislation is the cover-up for the embarrassment of the 97 untruths that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke during the election campaign when he promised to reduce Australians' power bills. This bill will not reduce Australians' power bills—not before Christmas, not next year, not the year after that. It's not an ideologue saying that; it is just a fact.”

    National Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Anne Ruston Ruston says the opposition will not stand in the way of constructive cost-of-living relief, but opposes this bill because she says it will not lower power prices and has been rushed through without proper detail or scrutiny.
    “This is just another con by the Labor Party. Today the Labor Party, with their stablemates the Greens, are intending to legislate a lie. The Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022 will not see power prices going down. We know that power prices are only going to go up. Those opposite know that power prices are going up, but they're still prepared to mislead Australians. The opposition have always said we would not stand in the way of constructive, sensible cost-of-living relief to Australians, but this bill does not deliver that.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Henry Pike Henry Pike opposes the bill, saying the gas price cap will worsen shortages, damage investment and hand the Treasurer unprecedented powers over the energy market.
    “We want the bill split to stop this reckless intervention going forward while allowing struggling Australians to get the support that they need.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  7. Michaelia Cash Michaelia Cash says the opposition will not back the bill as drafted.
    “The bad news is this—and, again, because we don't have a lot of time to scrutinise the bill, we won't be able to explore this in detail: despite the cost savings in this bill, and we support the cost savings, the bill itself will leave consumers worse off.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  8. Keith Pitt Keith Pitt opposes the bill and says he will vote against it because it would have Australian taxpayers subsidise Queensland Labor’s energy network and other state policy failures.
    “I rise to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022. My first message is to my constituents. We will see in coming weeks that whoever the delegated Labor senator is will claim that I voted against support for those people who can't pay their bills. But the reality is I am voting against the Australian taxpayer subsidising the biggest gouger and the biggest profiteer in the electricity network in this country—that is, the Queensland Labor government under Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Even the Fin Review has said they are taking $5 billion in profits out of the electricity network. They own 70 per cent of the generators—nearly all the transmission. Where I come from, they set the price. The easiest way to get prices down for the people I represent is for Queensland Labor to stop taking so much money out of what should be a service provided by them to people who cannot pay their bills.”

    National Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  9. Luke Howarth Howarth opposes the bill, saying it will not lower gas or electricity prices for Petrie and criticising Labor for rushing it through parliament with little scrutiny.
    “As the member for Petrie, do I think that this bill from the Albanese Labor government, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022, will lower gas prices or electricity prices for the people of Petrie? Not a hope in hell. There is no way that this will lower prices for those people struggling with the increased inflation and increased cost of living since the Albanese Labor government came to power.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  10. Ted O'Brien Ted O'Brien says the opposition will not support the bill and will disassociate itself from Labor's energy plan because he says it will push household power bills higher and damage the gas industry.
    “The opposition will absolutely disassociate itself from the energy plan that Labor seeks to enshrine in law today with the Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022. We will only stand by the households of Australia and the businesses of Australia. We have done that in government. We've done that in opposition.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  11. Angus Taylor Taylor opposes the bill, arguing it was rushed, poorly designed and would not bring bills down.
    “This legislation fails every test of good government and good policy. It's been a shambolic process with shambolic legislation and will deliver shambolic outcomes. It defies the basic laws of economics.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  12. Andrew Willcox Willcox opposes the bill, arguing that Labor's price caps and other market interventions will deter investment, worsen shortages and ultimately leave Australians paying more.
    “The Labor government are messing around with free enterprise by imposing price controls. We should heed the lessons of history. Price controls have been enforced numerous times and have only proved to be detrimental to the economy. Australians deserve a long-term plan, not a panic reaction that is laced with nice sounding words but, beneath the surface, lie very dark consequences. Labor is about to get a major lesson in how free markets work and, unfortunately, Australians will be the collateral damage, paying the price for their ignorance. (Time expired)”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  13. Paul Fletcher Fletcher opposes the bill, saying it fails to deliver the promised $275 power bill cut and instead only slows the size of already large price rises.
    “This bill is a con. What Australians were promised 97 times was that they would have lower power bills; $275 lower was what they were promised. But what the government has now brought forward, after more than six months of dithering and delay, is a bill that does not deliver on its promise. On its face, even if you take at face value what this bill claims to deliver, all it will do is mean that the big price increases in gas and electricity, which the government itself has projected in its budget papers—44 per cent increase in gas prices, 56 per cent increase in electricity prices—will be slightly less big. That's it. They promised—they took to the Australian people a promise—that power prices would go down. They put a specific number on it. They repeated it 97 times.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  14. Phillip Thompson Phillip Thompson opposes the bill, saying he supports targeted cost-of-living relief but thinks this package is rushed, chaotic and likely to cause long-term pain by pushing up power prices.
    “This unprecedented market intervention is going to mean long-term pain for the people of Australia. Power prices are to increase. The Australian Energy Regulator released its State of the energy market report for 2022 in September this year, three months ago now. The report noted that wholesale electricity prices across much of the NEM remained relatively low and rose rapidly, to record highs, in all regions in May, June and July 2022. We've seen this government be asleep at the wheel. This issue is not a new one, and this solution that we're debating today is rushed and not considered. The legislation was only provided to the opposition at 8.45 last night. But the Labor Party already had support from the Greens, who had not seen the legislation—sight-unseen support from the Greens—because that's their coalition, the Labor and the Greens government.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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Greens

5 speakers · 5 support

  1. Larissa Waters ★ Waters says the Greens will support the bill as a small but necessary step to bring down power bills, but argues it does far too little because coal and gas companies should be paying for the transition and broader relief is still needed.
    “I conclude by saying: we are in a cost-of-living crisis. We need to bring people's power bills down, and we need to speed up the transition to clean, green renewable energy, but we think that coal and gas companies should be paying for that transition and for those subsidies out of the record profits that they have made off the back of the misery of the people in Ukraine. We are deeply disappointed that the government would not join in taking on the coal and gas corporations and making them pay their fair share of tax, but we will be supporting this payment as slight relief for folk.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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  2. Dorinda Cox Cox says the Greens will support the bill because it gives households and businesses some short-term relief and helps shift away from dirty gas.
    “Whilst the Greens are supporting this bill, we do so knowing that it can be better. Having a secured and very important package will help households and businesses transition away from dirty gas, because we know gas is as dirty as coal and needs to stay in the ground.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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  3. Mehreen Faruqi Faruqi says the Greens will support the bill because households need cost-of-living relief, but argues it is an inadequate fix because energy bills will still rise sharply.
    “The Greens recognise that cost-of-living relief is so desperately needed, and that's why we are supporting this bill. Unfortunately, though, despite the fuss and despite the dramatic resummoning of parliament, under Labor's plan, energy bills will still keep rising, albeit a little bit less than they would have otherwise.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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  4. Nick McKim McKim says the Greens will support the bill because it helps deliver energy price relief, but argues it is only a partial fix and that the government should instead tax fossil fuel super profits and stop new coal and gas subsidies.
    “Yes, we will be supporting this legislation, but we want to be very clear that even when it passes there will be a long way to go to provide the cost-of-living relief that people who need it the most genuinely need.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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  5. Adam Bandt Bandt supports the bill because it gives the government powers to freeze power bills and help households, but he says the government must immediately use those powers instead of letting prices keep rising.
    “What is also clear is that, under the legislation that we are passing today, the government now has the power to freeze power bills. The Greens have been pushing for a freeze on power bills at precrisis levels for two years. This legislation will give the government the power to freeze power bills. It is not good enough to watch forecasts that power bills might go up by 47 per cent over the next couple of years. We know now that we can stop it. Government can step in and stop those price rises. If we are going to be giving compensation to ensure that people's power bills don't go up, which we support and were the first ones out there calling for it, let's freeze power bills at precrisis levels and put a windfall tax on those greedy coal and gas corporations to pay for it. It is crystal clear from now on that power prices do not need to rise by $1. We can use the powers in this bill to make sure that happens.”

    Australian Greens • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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One Nation

1 speaker · 1 oppose

  1. Malcolm Roberts ★ Roberts opposes the bill and says One Nation will vote against it because it uses Soviet-style price controls and broader industry powers that he believes will not fix energy prices.
    “I call on the Senate to reject this bill and say no to Soviet-level powers that will inevitably backfire and cause an economic and social catastrophe that will hurt the people.”

    Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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Minor parties and independents

7 speakers · 5 support · 2 mixed

  1. Tammy Tyrrell ★ Tyrrell supports the bill because she thinks it will provide at least some relief to people facing rising energy bills, even though she says it is rushed, incomplete and leaves key details undecided.
    “We know the bill has flaws. It's incomplete. It's been rushed. It's not an ideal situation we are in right now. But, at the end of the day, Senator Lambie and I won't stand in the way of making life just that little bit easier for people who are doing it really tough right now. What I know is that, if you are struggling, every little bit counts. This bill isn't going to give enough relief from the rising energy costs, but it's something. We can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and that's why I am supporting this bill.”

    Jacqui Lambie Network • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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  2. Zali Steggall Steggall says she will support the bill because she thinks intervening now is necessary to hold down energy prices and protect households and small businesses from further rises.
    “But, overwhelmingly, on balance, it is important that we intervene. I commend the government for intervening to ensure that the price rises anticipated for next year do not occur. That is why I will support this bill. But I urge the government to undertake ongoing consultation and to commit greater resources to accelerating the transition to cleaner forms of energy.”

    Independent • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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  3. Ralph Babet Babet says the United Australia Party supports the temporary bill relief for households and businesses, but opposes the price caps and extra regulation in the bill.
    “The United Australia Party, of course, stands with consumers and business owners who are bearing the brunt of skyrocketing energy prices and, of course, we want to see prices come down. We wholeheartedly support the $1.5 billion of temporary bill relief measures for those in need but we do not support the price caps or any increased regulations in the sector.”

    United Australia Party • Senator • 15 Dec 2022

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  4. Andrew Wilkie Wilkie supports the bill and says the government is right to confront the energy companies, but he argues the package should go further by adding a windfall or super profits tax on fossil fuel companies.
    “I support the government's energy package. In fact, I go so far as to applaud the government for standing up to the petulant, greedy and selfish coal, gas and oil companies that want business as usual. But I regret to say that there is one glaring omission in the government's energy package, and that is some sort of windfall tax or super profits tax to do something about the outrageous profits being posted by the coal, gas and some oil companies on account of the war in Ukraine—because that's right: these companies, including Australian companies, are shamelessly profiteering off a war in Ukraine at the expense of Australian consumers.”

    Independent • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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  5. Monique Ryan Ryan says the bill is only a small step in the right direction, and she will support it only with better transparency about how the gas price cap was set.
    “Let's not forget that through this legislation we will still be paying too much for our own gas, and our taxes will be going to help other taxpayers and probably to prop up the coal industry as well. This is an imperfect intervention. We still need to have the courage and the vision to take control of our own future. This bill is only a very small step in the right direction. We are still paying too much for gas. We do not have clarity and transparency on the basis for this gas pricing cap. So I move the amendment circulated in my name in the interests of greater transparency around this very important issue:”

    Independent • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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  6. Zoe Daniel Zoe Daniel says she will support the bill because it should help hold down energy affordability pressures for households and industry, even though she считает it imperfect and only a stopgap.
    “I agree: this is imperfect and will, at best, stop prices from skyrocketing further rather than bringing them down. It's time to get as many households as possible off gas. I look forward to discussions with the government to revolutionise household energy use so our communities are not beholden to global companies who have shown little care for the Australian people, the Australian economy or the Australian environment. I will support this bill.”

    Independent • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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  7. Helen Haines Haines supports the bill and says the gas price cap and relief measures are welcome, but only as a temporary crisis response.
    “I support this bill today, but we all know that this is a temporary measure in a time of crisis. The recently announced Capacity Investment Scheme is encouraging, because the real work now is the rapid scaling-up of renewable generation, storage and distribution. In doing that, we must maximise the opportunity for investment that creates new skills and new jobs, especially in regional Australia, where most of this energy generation will occur. I commend this bill to the House.”

    Independent • MP • 15 Dec 2022

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