All Australians deserve affordable power bills and responsible emissions reduction.
Under Labor, they are getting neither.
Power bills are up nearly 40 per cent, families are struggling to make ends meet and we’ve seen a record number of small businesses close.
In fact, the average family is being asked to find an extra $1300 per year to cover their energy bills.
Small businesses were promised an 18 per cent reduction on their bill by 2025, but now face increases of as much as 80 per cent. It’s a far cry from the $275 reduction Australians were promised by this government.
These aren’t just figures – this is real cost of living pressure that locals are feeling and are contacting my office about each week. We believe there is a better way.
Our plan is built on two core principles: affordable energy and lower emissions.
Because despite Labor spending more than $75 billion, Australia has disappointingly made little progress towards their own 2030 targets of 43 per cent emissions reduction.
Independent analysis suggests meeting the government’s current targets would require as much as $530 billion in spending in the next decade.
That is spending of around $50,000 per Australian household.
Last month, I visited a local supermarket that has seen energy prices skyrocket, alongside Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley MP. This is a business that provides local jobs, stocks local products and supports small businesses.
But without affordable and reliable energy, that is not possible.
It is easy to see the ripple effect high energy costs will continue to have on individuals, families, jobs, businesses and communities if we leave this unaddressed.
That’s why our plan centres around affordability, because a strong economy begins with affordable power.
It will deliver steady emissions reduction at a pace our country can sustain.
We will adopt a balanced energy mix, harnessing all available energy technologies, including renewables in the right places, to make energy affordable.
We are committed to reducing emissions responsibly – without cutting jobs or raising household bills as is currently happening under Labor.
And we remain committed to the Paris Agreement and to responding to climate change in a way that is both affordable and responsible, doing our fair share in line with the real performance of comparable countries.
Australians want two things from their energy system: power they can afford and emissions reduction that is responsible and achievable.
That’s exactly what the Liberals will deliver.
