‘He promised’: Albo haunted by $275 claim
Leaders from both major parties have been grilled on their handling of a worsening energy crisis, with bills tipped to surge again.
More than a half a million homeowners will be slapped with energy price rises of between 20-25 per cent from July.
The Australian Energy Regulator made the announcement on Thursday, with homes in South Australia, Queensland, and NSW impacted.
Deputy Opposition Leader Susan Ley told Sunrise the price hike – which will hit families and businesses hard – was a “huge mess”.
“I don’t see any real relief coming anytime soon,” Ms Ley said.
“There is a huge stress on Australian households.
“There is a 29 per cent increase on households, and for some that is simply unaffordable.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told Today show host Karl Stefanovic that Anthony Albanese had “lied” at the last election about energy prices.
“Let’s be very clear about it, he (the Prime Minister) promised on 97 occasions your bill would go down by $275,” Mr Dutton said.
“He promised it after Russia went into Ukraine. Forget about that … that sort of nonsense argument.
“I think the government’s completely underestimating how much families and small businesses are hurting at the moment.”
Mr Dutton backed introducing more gas into the energy market to alleviate prices amid the protracted global crisis.
The war in Ukraine sent shockwaves through the global energy market when it broke out in early-2022.
As a result, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told Stefanvoic that the government faced an “inflammatory environment”.
“When that war started, no one was imagining that it would still be going today in the way that it is,” Mr Marles told Today.
“That has disrupted energy prices and that‘s what we’ve had to deal with.
“We put in place a really significant package at the end of last year which has had a significant impact in putting downward pressure.”
The government recently announced that it would provide $500 to eligible households across the country.
Mr Marles accused the Opposition Leader of “making stuff up” and said the Liberal Party had voted against that relief.
Education Minister Jason Clare mirrored those claims, stating that people could see through the Liberal Party’s “lies”.
“We are providing cash support to help people pay their bills – the Liberal Party have opposed that,” Mr Clare said.
“They (The Liberal Party) walked into the parliament last year and voted against a limit on gas and coal and against providing that $500 support for pensioners that $500 support for pensioners that Susan is claiming she now cares about.
“If the Liberal Party were empowered these increases would be double what they are today.”
Mr Clare said Labor had put a limit on the price of coal and gas that he said had triggered the rise in prices.
