Australian Parliament. Source : JJ Harrison
The Labor Government’s emergency energy package has passed Parliament, which is intended to reduce power bills by $230.
Despite previous criticism from the Greens around the possibility for the bill to provide compensation to coal companies, Labor secured their support, and that of key crossbenchers, to ensure their success.
The plan will cap gas prices at $12/gigajoule for 12 months and enforce a black coal limit of $125/tonne.
Greens leader Adam Bandt secured the deal with Labor following a party room meeting, where he sought to ensure the bill introduced measures for increasing the use and transition of renewable energy.
“Energy corporations for too long have been punishing people in this country and power bills are going through the roof,” Mr Bandt said on Wednesday.
“The Greens have secured a significant package that will help meet the costs households and businesses to switch over from dirty and expensive gas to cleaner and cheaper appliances and that could save households hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.
“These will be savings that will last for a lifetime.
“The package…will be focused on low- and middle-income earners, and people who live in public housing, renters, those who have been traditionally cut out from accessing the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year in energy savings that come with switching over to electric.
“Our package will help unlock hundreds…of dollars in savings to the people who need it most, and that means more money in people’s pockets to deal with the cost of living crisis.” He said.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton stated previously that he would vote for the components of the bill dedicated to energy relief, however he accused the government of seeking a “political wedge”.
“The Prime Minister is looking for a political wedge because we’ve been clear about our support of the money going to families who are suffering under this government with increased energy costs” Mr Dutton said.
Mr Dutton specified that he did not support the aspects of the bill regarding market intervention.
He claimed Labor withheld the final draft of the bill until Later Wednesday night, with the Coalition receiving the draft 12 hours before Thursday’s Parliament.
“I lived through the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years, and this has all the mayhem and chaotic nonsense that we saw during that period.” Mr Dutton said.
“Either it was a deliberate holding back of the release of the legislation or the OPC (Office of Parliamentary Council) was still drafting it after-hours last night.
“But it seems that this plane is still being built mid-air.” He said.
Energy relief bill capping coal and gas prices heads to parliament
