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| Labor presses for details of new Coalition energy policy – question time live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 4.18am BST | |
| 04:18 | |
| Paul Karp | |
| The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released its latest estimate that 10.8m Australians have voted in the marriage law survey, or 67.5% of enrolled voters, as at Friday 13 October.The first ABS turnout figure two weeks ago revealed 57.5% of Australians had voted as of 29 September. The result was heralded by the Equality Campaign as very promising, and the acting special minister of state, Mathias Cormann, said the postal survey was headed for a very credible turnout.The figure crept up by 5% last week to 62.5%, meaning it has increased 5% for each of the last two weeks. Voting closes on 7 November and the result will be announced on 15 November. | |
| Fantastic news that 67.5% of #SSM survey forms had been returned as of October 13 #VoteYes #PostYourYes #MarriageEquality #auspol pic.twitter.com/h5rCecVKZW | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.19am BST | |
| 4.18am BST | |
| 04:18 | |
| Mark Butler has a question for Frydenberg. | |
| Can the energy minister gets through a question time without using his “inconvenient truth” joke? These are the questions which plague mankind. | |
| Butler wants to know about the modelling. And whether the government has any. | |
| “Can I confirm to the House that the Energy Security Board, made up of the Australian Energy Regulator, the Australian Energy Market Operator, and the Australian Energy Market Commission have written to the Government and outlined that on the basis of their analysis that prices will fall for an average household $100-115.” | |
| 4.14am BST | |
| 04:14 | |
| Annnnnnd Linda Burney has been removed | |
| 4.12am BST | |
| 04:12 | |
| Meanwhile, outside the chamber... | |
| Govt announcement an important step, keen to work together to make it work. With bipartisan support, it will provide investment certainty | |
| 4.12am BST | |
| 04:12 | |
| Jason Wood, the member for La Trobe has the first Dixer and is reading it like it is the first time he has seen words put together in that particular order. | |
| “Will the prime minister advise the house how the government’s National Energy Guarantee will guarantee reliability, ease power bills and reduce emissions for hardworking Australian families and businesses including in my electorate of La Trobe. What would be the impact of alternative approaches?” | |
| There would be so much impact from those alternative approaches the prime minister can almost not get the words out. He uses a lot of the answer we heard earlier in the response, with a couple of extra attacks: | |
| We all know very well what the impact of Labor’s policies have been. What we have seen is unaffordable power and unreliable power. We’ve just come from a press conference where the energy market operator has described how she has to intervene again and again in the South Australian market to keep the lights on. That’s because of the instability in that market created by the force-feeding of masses of intermittent renewables like wind without any regard for stability or back-up or storage. What we’ve seen with the Labor party’s approach to energy has been a triumph of ideology over good sense. What we need now is the engineering and the economics. That guides our energy policy and we have seen the work of engineers and economists on the energy security board with their recommendations.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.19am BST | |
| 4.08am BST | |
| 04:08 | |
| Bill Shorten opens with an easy one. | |
| “My question is for the prime minister. When can the prime minister guarantee Australians that the cost of their power bills will go down?” | |
| Already the warnings have started. Tim Wilson is warned. Josh Frydenberg has been told to pipe down. We are not even 60 seconds in. Someone should do more to lock up the vending machines before QT, because this sugar high can go nowhere good. | |
| Malcolm Turnbull starts with an attack and does his best not to peacock around the despatch box. | |
| If the leader of the opposition is to be taken at his word, his renewable energy objective would result in a $66bn subsidy. [A] $66bn subsidy. That would be imposed on Australian families. A subsidy that is completely unnecessary. A subsidy which is effectively industry policy, pouring billions in additional costs on to Australian families. That is what – that is his policy. What we’re doing is committed to ensuring that our energy policy delivers affordable, reliable power and that we meet our international commitments. And we’ve just seen, we’ve just seen, we’re taking up the recommendations of the Energy and Security Board. The members of that were applauded by the member for Port Adelaide. He welcomed them. | |
| “The leader of the opposition will have to reflect on the expert advice of the Energy and Security Board. This is someone who has called for bipartisanship in energy policy. That’s what he’s called for. What we have is a recommendation from an expert board, appointed by Coag, appointed by more Labor governments than Coalition governments. This is what they’ve said in their formal advice, ‘It’s expected that following the guarantee could lead to a reduction in residential bills in the order of$15-115 per annum over the 2020-30 period, wholesale prices are expected to decline by 20-25% per annum over the same period. Compared to the clean energy target as specified in the Finkel review, this guarantee could be expected to lead to wholesale prices that are on average 8-10% lower under that period.’ | |
| “Now, Mr Speaker, we have arranged for the opposition to have a briefing from the Energy Security Board. We look forward to them getting fully briefed. We them to get on board and adopt this we encourage them to get on board and adopt this expert recommendation that for the first time will level the playing field, end the subsidies, end the taxes, ensure that we have, ensure that we have a genuinely technology-agnostic energy market that enables us to have energy that is affordable, reliable and responsible. That is what Labor should support. Stop the nonsense about their claimed bipartisanship and get real and get on board with the plan that guarantees Australia’s energy future.” | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.11am BST | |
| 4.01am BST | |
| 04:01 | |
| Straight into question time | |
| Katharine Murphy will have a full report on the ins and outs of what is happening with the Neg and what legislation, if any, will be needed. | |
| But first, we head to question time. Energy, is an obvious one, and I am sure, based on yesterday’s performance, we’ll hear a bit more on the NBN. Other topics? Take a guess below. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.11am BST | |
| 3.55am BST | |
| 03:55 | |
| This press conference has no fewer than six people sitting behind the desk. But it only looks like two flags. Disappointing. | |
| Asked about the cost reduction of electricity bills from $110 to $115 (which doesn’t start until 20202) Frydenberg had this to say: | |
| So off the back of this work, the commonwealth government will be asking the AMC to do detailed analysis and modelling of this specific proposal in the lead-up to the discussions at Coag where we would provide, if you like, firmer estimates of those price effects. The price numbers you’re referring to are based off, if you like, analysis and modelling of the market and the alternative schemes that we’ve looked at in the past. It is an average over the 10 years. The more detailed work will give a profile. The things that are driving it are basically three things. The reduction in uncertainty, that the minister referred to. And the unlocking of investment and hence increases in supply, and that’s quite an important component. The second driver, or reason you’d expect pries to be lower is that the mechanism uses existing market processes, existing market contracts, so people have more options available to them about how they meet these obligations. And thirdly, I would expect that the higher levels of contracting that this mechanism will bring about will lower barriers to entry and improve competition, both at the generation and the retail level. | |
| Updated | |
| at 4.13am BST | |
| 3.40am BST | 3.40am BST |
| 03:40 | 03:40 |
| Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg have released a joint press statement: | Malcolm Turnbull and Josh Frydenberg have released a joint press statement: |
| The Turnbull Government will accept the recommendation of the Energy Security Board (ESB) for a new National Energy Guarantee to deliver more affordable and reliable electricity while meeting our international commitments. | The Turnbull Government will accept the recommendation of the Energy Security Board (ESB) for a new National Energy Guarantee to deliver more affordable and reliable electricity while meeting our international commitments. |
| As our energy system transitions, we must ensure households and businesses have access to affordable and reliable power. | As our energy system transitions, we must ensure households and businesses have access to affordable and reliable power. |
| The independent Energy Security Board advises the guarantee will give certainty to investors and therefore encourage investment in all forms of power. This means electricity bills will be lower than currently forecast and lower than they would have been under a clean energy target. | |
| The Energy Security Board estimates typical household bills will fall by an average of $110-$115 per year over the 2020-2030 period. | The Energy Security Board estimates typical household bills will fall by an average of $110-$115 per year over the 2020-2030 period. |
| The guarantee is made up of two parts that will require energy retailers across the National Electricity Market to deliver reliable and lower emissions generation each year. | |
| A reliability guarantee will be set to deliver the right level of dispatchable energy (from ready-to-use sources such as coal, gas, pumped hydro and batteries) needed in each state. It will be set by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) and Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo). | |
| An emissions guarantee will be set to contribute to Australia’s international commitments. The level of the guarantee will be determined by the commonwealth and enforced by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER). | |
| Past energy plans have subsidised some industries, punished others and slugged consumers. The Turnbull government will take a different approach. | |
| The National Energy Guarantee will lower electricity prices, make the system more reliable, encourage the right investment and reduce emissions without subsidies, taxes or trading schemes. It is truly technology-neutral, offering a future for investment in whatever technology the market needs – solar, wind, coal, gas, batteries or pumped storage. | |
| Unlike previous approaches, we are not picking winners, we are levelling the playing field. Coal, gas, hydro and biomass will be rewarded for their dispatchability while wind, solar and hydro will be recognised as lower emissions technologies but will no longer be subsidised. | Unlike previous approaches, we are not picking winners, we are levelling the playing field. Coal, gas, hydro and biomass will be rewarded for their dispatchability while wind, solar and hydro will be recognised as lower emissions technologies but will no longer be subsidised. |
| Importantly, this plan builds on the Finkel review, which recommended the creation of the ESB that has now recommended the National Energy Guarantee. | |
| The government will now work with the ESB and the states through Coag to implement the National Energy Guarantee. | |
| As well as delivering a better deal for households, the plan will support business, particularly emissions intensive, trade exposed firms. | As well as delivering a better deal for households, the plan will support business, particularly emissions intensive, trade exposed firms. |
| The guarantee builds on our existing energy policy which involves the retailers offering consumers a better deal, stopping the networks gaming the system, delivering more gas for Australians before it’s shipped offshore and the commencement of Snowy Hydro 2.0 to stabilise the system. | |
| We now have an opportunity to break from the climate wars of the past and forge a sensible, sustainable path forward. | We now have an opportunity to break from the climate wars of the past and forge a sensible, sustainable path forward. |
| Updated | |
| at 4.15am BST | |
| 3.32am BST | 3.32am BST |
| 03:32 | 03:32 |
| Just to take you inside the Coalition party room for a moment. That meeting this morning went for more than two hours and during that time, we are reliably assured that those who expressed contrary views to the government policy were, in no particular order: | Just to take you inside the Coalition party room for a moment. That meeting this morning went for more than two hours and during that time, we are reliably assured that those who expressed contrary views to the government policy were, in no particular order: |
| Tony Abbott | Tony Abbott |
| George Christensen | George Christensen |
| Matt Canavan | Matt Canavan |
| David Gillespie | David Gillespie |
| The Nationals MP Andrew Broad wasn’t exactly a contrarian, but he did float an alternative plan, which he’s spoken about previously and was knocked back. | The Nationals MP Andrew Broad wasn’t exactly a contrarian, but he did float an alternative plan, which he’s spoken about previously and was knocked back. |
| Only Abbott didn’t want the decision made then and there, we have been told. The party room heard from energy officials who answered questions, and then Turnbull offered the room a chance to go out and dwell on it for a bit, telling them they could reconvene later this afternoon to decide, or even next week. | Only Abbott didn’t want the decision made then and there, we have been told. The party room heard from energy officials who answered questions, and then Turnbull offered the room a chance to go out and dwell on it for a bit, telling them they could reconvene later this afternoon to decide, or even next week. |
| Abbott stood up to say the decision needed to be delayed, but he received no support, and the rest of room chose to have the matter settled, wanting it “sorted” so they could “move on”. | Abbott stood up to say the decision needed to be delayed, but he received no support, and the rest of room chose to have the matter settled, wanting it “sorted” so they could “move on”. |
| Where does it go now? Well, time will tell. | Where does it go now? Well, time will tell. |
| Turnbull has opened his official press conference on the policy. Details to come. | Turnbull has opened his official press conference on the policy. Details to come. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.36am BST | at 3.36am BST |
| 3.25am BST | 3.25am BST |
| 03:25 | 03:25 |
| The Senate has started its business of the day. And what pressing issue received its precious time? | The Senate has started its business of the day. And what pressing issue received its precious time? |
| Energy? Housing policy? Health? Human rights? | Energy? Housing policy? Health? Human rights? |
| If you had “how to pronounce Richard Di Natale’s name”, please take a bow and collect your prize at the door. | If you had “how to pronounce Richard Di Natale’s name”, please take a bow and collect your prize at the door. |
| George Brandis says ‘senator Di Na-tar-lay’. Di Natale had the hide to have a different view on how to pronounce his own name. | George Brandis says ‘senator Di Na-tar-lay’. Di Natale had the hide to have a different view on how to pronounce his own name. |
| I know Senator Brandis prides himself on his diction, but my name is Di Na-ta-lee, no Di Na-tar-lay so if you would like to refer to me by my proper name, I would be most appreciative.” | I know Senator Brandis prides himself on his diction, but my name is Di Na-ta-lee, no Di Na-tar-lay so if you would like to refer to me by my proper name, I would be most appreciative.” |
| Brandis heard him and apologised. | Brandis heard him and apologised. |
| I mean no offence Senator Di Nar-ta-lee, that it is the way I pronounce the English language, I am sorry if my pronunciation isn’t perfect. But in any event, Senator Di Na-tar-lay, what I can assure you is that when the [energy] announcement is made you will discover what has fallen from your lips in the last few minutes is completely wrong.” | I mean no offence Senator Di Nar-ta-lee, that it is the way I pronounce the English language, I am sorry if my pronunciation isn’t perfect. But in any event, Senator Di Na-tar-lay, what I can assure you is that when the [energy] announcement is made you will discover what has fallen from your lips in the last few minutes is completely wrong.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.37am BST | at 3.37am BST |
| 3.06am BST | 3.06am BST |
| 03:06 | 03:06 |
| Katharine Murphy is receiving a briefing on the Neg. Here is a bit from what we know so far | |
| On emissions reduction trajectory, govt says we can assume 26% on 2005 by 2030. Govt will have to legislate that target @AmyRemeikis #auspol | On emissions reduction trajectory, govt says we can assume 26% on 2005 by 2030. Govt will have to legislate that target @AmyRemeikis #auspol |
| The energy market regulators will work out the required emissions reduction trajectory year by year @AmyRemeikis #auspol | The energy market regulators will work out the required emissions reduction trajectory year by year @AmyRemeikis #auspol |
| The reliability obligation will be assessed state by state. Will be imposed within the national energy market rules @AmyRemeikis #auspol | The reliability obligation will be assessed state by state. Will be imposed within the national energy market rules @AmyRemeikis #auspol |
| Updated | |
| at 4.15am BST | |
| 3.03am BST | 3.03am BST |
| 03:03 | 03:03 |
| Hastie also has a bit to say about the Australian defence force policy on gender reassignment surgery, in that they will fund it. The ADF has treated 27 cases of gender dysphoria over the past five years, at a cost of $1m. | |
| Marise Payne defended it in the Senate against attacks from Pauline Hanson yesterday. | Marise Payne defended it in the Senate against attacks from Pauline Hanson yesterday. |
| Hastie, speaking to Sky News, takes us on a trip down memory lane to 2005 when he was a third-year cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and he was addressed by Rear Admiral James Goldrick, who told the room “some of you may have joined the defence force for your own reasons, but the bottom line is you are here to prepare to fight Australia’s wars and win those wars” and that has been his view. | Hastie, speaking to Sky News, takes us on a trip down memory lane to 2005 when he was a third-year cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and he was addressed by Rear Admiral James Goldrick, who told the room “some of you may have joined the defence force for your own reasons, but the bottom line is you are here to prepare to fight Australia’s wars and win those wars” and that has been his view. |
| So if we accept that premise that the ADF exists to fight and win Australia’s wars, then we need a really good war-fighting capability and we need to be selective with our personnel.” | So if we accept that premise that the ADF exists to fight and win Australia’s wars, then we need a really good war-fighting capability and we need to be selective with our personnel.” |
| Hastie tells stories of “young Australians who wanted to join the ADF but have been denied”. | Hastie tells stories of “young Australians who wanted to join the ADF but have been denied”. |
| One friend of mine who now farms north of Tamworth was denied because he had a rugby injury with his shoulder. I had another constituent very recently, who is a young tradesman, who had a very, very mild shellfish allergy and he was knocked back from Defence and then I had someone else, who is a national track athlete who has been in remission from cancer for some time and he was knocked back by Defence as well, because of their perceived ongoing health costs. So, you know, we are selective and my view is, if you present with gender dysphoria then you absolutely need help, psychological help and counselling, but we need to be very, very judicious in how we spend taxpayers’ money and the bottom line, is, as I have said, is our war-fighting capability.” | |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.16am BST | |
| 2.49am BST | 2.49am BST |
| 02:49 | 02:49 |
| Andrew Hastie has also been out and about on the sell. | Andrew Hastie has also been out and about on the sell. |
| Basically, what we are doing is, we are going to bring a mechanism to bear on the market whereby energy retailers will be forced to buy coal, gas, for every megawatt hour of renewable energy they purchase. So we are moving incentives, the economic incentives away from exclusively the renewable sector and broadening them out and that will drive down prices, it will also make energy more reliable and affordable for Australian people.” | Basically, what we are doing is, we are going to bring a mechanism to bear on the market whereby energy retailers will be forced to buy coal, gas, for every megawatt hour of renewable energy they purchase. So we are moving incentives, the economic incentives away from exclusively the renewable sector and broadening them out and that will drive down prices, it will also make energy more reliable and affordable for Australian people.” |
| 2.31am BST | 2.31am BST |
| 02:31 | 02:31 |
| You may remember the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, has promised to stop the Queensland Adani mine by any means necessary, including standing in front of bulldozers, arrest threat be damned. | You may remember the Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, has promised to stop the Queensland Adani mine by any means necessary, including standing in front of bulldozers, arrest threat be damned. |
| George Christensen, whose electorate relies heavily on mining jobs, had a different idea. | George Christensen, whose electorate relies heavily on mining jobs, had a different idea. |
| George Christensen wants coal mine protestors (including @RichardDiNatale) to be charged with terrorism and serve 1+ yrs in prison. pic.twitter.com/cYH18kx3M9 | George Christensen wants coal mine protestors (including @RichardDiNatale) to be charged with terrorism and serve 1+ yrs in prison. pic.twitter.com/cYH18kx3M9 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.12am BST | at 3.12am BST |
| 2.20am BST | 2.20am BST |
| 02:20 | 02:20 |
| The alert which went out with Malcolm Turnbull’s video named it the National Energy Guarantee. So it’s official. It’s the Neg. | |
| The PM has announced a national energy guarantee to deliver affordable and reliable electricity. WATCH it here first https://t.co/TifMa8k111 | The PM has announced a national energy guarantee to deliver affordable and reliable electricity. WATCH it here first https://t.co/TifMa8k111 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.16am BST | |
| 2.14am BST | 2.14am BST |
| 02:14 | 02:14 |
| Gareth Hutchens | Gareth Hutchens |
| Labor caucus met this morning. | Labor caucus met this morning. |
| It was the last full caucus meeting before the results of the same-sex marriage postal vote are announced. | It was the last full caucus meeting before the results of the same-sex marriage postal vote are announced. |
| Given the timing, they resolved that in the event a yes vote prevails in the survey, Labor will push for the Turnbull government to pass Dean Smith’s private members’ bill as soon as possible. | Given the timing, they resolved that in the event a yes vote prevails in the survey, Labor will push for the Turnbull government to pass Dean Smith’s private members’ bill as soon as possible. |
| They say Smith’s bill is consistent with the key recommendations of the unanimous Senate committee report, and believe it will strike an “acceptable compromise” between achieving marriage equality and protecting religious freedoms. | They say Smith’s bill is consistent with the key recommendations of the unanimous Senate committee report, and believe it will strike an “acceptable compromise” between achieving marriage equality and protecting religious freedoms. |
| They also noted Labor’s position on the conscience vote on same-sex marriage (they will let party members vote as individuals) but said if a yes vote is returned they will push for Smith’s bill to be passed in its current form. | They also noted Labor’s position on the conscience vote on same-sex marriage (they will let party members vote as individuals) but said if a yes vote is returned they will push for Smith’s bill to be passed in its current form. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.09am BST | at 3.09am BST |
| 2.14am BST | 2.14am BST |
| 02:14 | 02:14 |
| Progress at today's party room. The Clean Energy Target has been definitively dropped. | Progress at today's party room. The Clean Energy Target has been definitively dropped. |
| 2.09am BST | 2.09am BST |
| 02:09 | 02:09 |
| Someone came prepared. Just minutes after the party room sided with the energy policy, the prime minister’s office released a video on Facebook. It is all very uplifting. Affordability! Reliability! Security! All of the “itys”! Tellingly, the video does not say how much power bills will drop by, though. | Someone came prepared. Just minutes after the party room sided with the energy policy, the prime minister’s office released a video on Facebook. It is all very uplifting. Affordability! Reliability! Security! All of the “itys”! Tellingly, the video does not say how much power bills will drop by, though. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.06am BST | at 3.06am BST |