15th Dec 2022, 11:30 AM – Representatives Treasury Laws Amendment (Energy Price Relief Plan) Bill 2022 - Second Reading - Don't disagree with the bill

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with an amendment, which means it failed. It would have added the words below to the usual second reading motion, which is "That this bill be now read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). It was introduced by Dickson MP Peter Dutton (Liberal).

Amendment text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"the House declines to give the bill a second reading and:

(1) notes the Prime Minister’s failure to deliver on his promise to reduce electricity prices by $275;

(2) notes that Prime Minister has instead delivered the most expensive average wholesale electricity prices on record, with electricity prices set to rise by more than 63 per cent and gas prices to rise by 40 per cent over the next two years;

(3) notes that after six months of doing nothing to bring down power prices and provide cost of living relief, the Government is attempting to rush through legislation without any consultation;

(4) notes the Government continues to ignore expert advice that this bill will destroy investment confidence in Australia’s energy sector, leading to higher prices, job losses and blackouts;

(5) criticises the Prime Minister and the Government for putting the energy security and economic prosperity of Australia at risk; and

(6) criticises the Prime Minister and the Government for the contempt that they have shown the Australian Parliament during this legislative process".