Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News with Danica Di Giorgio
TOPICS: Power prices, US tariffs
14 March 2025
E&OE
Danica De Giorgio
I’m joined now by Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, nice to see you again. Thank you so much for joining me on the show. I want to start with power prices. We’ve got Chris Bowen out blaming coal plants for the reason why power bills are going up. You’ve got Zali Steggall saying, just rely on your own rooftop. And here was the prime minister today. Have a listen: “One is the default market offer was hidden by Angus Taylor. The second issue, of course, is the long tail of COVID and supply chain issues. And the third issue, of course, is the Russian invasion of Ukraine.” Michaelia Cash – it’s everyone else’s fault. Clearly, we’re still not $275 below. In fact, our power bills are going in the other direction, as we know. How much longer can this go on, this desperate attempt to weave a narrative, to push a narrative, which, according to the energy market operator, is a key reason why power bills are going up?
Senator Cash
Exactly. And there was a great article in The Australian in relation to Bowen and his fairies at the bottom of the garden energy policy, and it went to the effect of: What is the definition of insanity – and it’s doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. And that is what you see with Chris Bowen, invest, invest, invest – more solar, more wind. You then have the energy market operator come out and say, by the way, one of the problems is just that. And then Chris Bowen says, I mean his solution, I kid you not. I could not believe this, Danica, when I read it. The way you lower your power bills is perhaps to shop around for another provider. Well, perhaps Danica it’s actually time for Australians to shop around, but this time for another government, because it’s not going to win under this government. They promised 97 times before the election they would lower people’s power bills by $275. Almost three years into this government, you now have 27,000 businesses in Australia that have gone insolvent. I was in Victoria yesterday talking to some of these businesses, and they will put their hands up and they will say it is the energy price hikes under Chris Bowen that put us out of business. You have people in Victoria and New South Wales who will pay now up to $1,300 more. The only way the pain now stops is to vote this government out, and people can do that in but now a matter of weeks, and put in a government that understands the pain you’re going through, that understands you need to get more gas into the market, that understands coal provides base load energy. Wind doesn’t always blow, the sun doesn’t always shine. And Chris Bowen, honestly, there are no words for him, other than the most failed energy minister in this country, but Danica at the cost of the Australian people.
Danica De Giorgio
Yeah, exactly. And I actually think it’s insulting to say, shop around. You know that is such an insult.
Senator Cash
Or rely on your roof, there’s some great advice for you. Just shop around and rely on your rooftop. No let’s actually have a look at what is the best and most efficient way in this country to provide people, in the first instance, with access to cheaper energy. It is literally killing people and businesses, the price hike under this government. To understand what reliable base load energy is. I mean, I think the Labor government have given up. They don’t care if the lights go out. But more than that, the irony of their policy is that emissions are actually flat lining under this government. So they get a cross under each of the targets, and yet, as I said, the definition of insanity as Albert Einstein said: doing the same thing over and over and over again. Chris Bowen’s a broken record, quite frankly, and expecting different results. Well, Chris, you’re not going to get them.
Danica De Giorgio
No exactly, absolutely spot on. Now look, let’s talk about us tariffs on steel and aluminium. What does this mean for us? Do you think, and how should Labor be handling this with the United States?
Senator Cash
Well, I think when you look at the last day or two and the response of the Prime Minister, the response of the trade minister, the response of the foreign minister, they’re not telling Australians everything they did to try and back in Team Australia, to try and get out there and get that exemption, as we successfully did when we were last in office. I find it astounding that the press conferences they are giving are just making excuses for why they did nothing. As the leader of our country, you are expected to go into bat for Australia and Australians. And that means, yes, you get on the plane and you go over and you secure a meeting with Donald Trump. Quite frankly, that’s something that Kevin Rudd should have done for our Prime Minister, but has miserably failed. You pick up the phone, you do everything you can. You don’t sit back and say, well, we were never going to get it, so we’ve taken a hands off approach, and Oh goodness gracious me, we were actually right. It is an indictment on our Prime Minister. In fact, Danica, I had people say to me yesterday in Victoria, this would now have to be the most hands off Prime Minister and government that we have ever seen. Trump is a businessman. We know that he does deals. The way you do deals is a to have a good relationship. We had that last time, as you know. Joe Hockey, he didn’t just have a relationship with the President of the United States. The key was having a relationship and a good relationship with the key influencers in the administration. That’s what we had. And under Peter Dutton, I can guarantee we will have it again. But under this government, my God, you can’t even get a phone call returned. That does not augur well for another three years of Anthony Albanese running this country.
Danica De Giorgio
No, it’s a worry when nobody can get a call into our closest ally. You’re absolutely spot on Shadow Attorney General, Michaelia Cash, we have to leave it there. Thank you very much for joining me on the show.
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