Tuesday, 2 December 2025

 David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (14:03): I want to draw the community’s attention to the surging energy costs that we are facing in this state. After 14 years of Labor, energy costs are surging up and up and up. The tariff tracker that came from St Vincent de Paul – the most recent one that looks at the year to the end of 30 June – points to a 7 per cent increase on average across zones for electricity prices. They are very significant increases with very significant impacts – 8 per cent in some areas and gas going up by similar amounts. Increases of 7 and 8 per cent are smashing into households and small businesses. They are feeling these charges going through. The minister in the other chamber says the costs are going down, down. No, no, no – they are going up, up, up, up, and families and businesses are paying the price of Labor. This is what happens with a long-term Labor government that loses touch with the community and is prepared to see families hurt, businesses hurt, families slugged and businesses slugged by surging gas and surging electricity costs that go straight to the heart of a family’s budget. They are paying more, and they are paying more because of this government’s cross-subsidies and bad ideas. The implementation of projects has been botched, and families are paying the price of the surging energy costs.