Nationals leader David Littleproud promises Coalition government would bring down power prices

Nationals leader David Littleproud says the Coalition would bring down power bills after Labor failed to deliver on its 2022 promise.

Nationals leader David Littleproud has promised that a Coalition government will bring down power prices as Labor faces criticism for breaking its promise to lower electricity bills by $275.

Asked if the Coalition could “guarantee that energy prices will go down under your government in the next term”, the Maranoa MP replied “yes”.

“If you increase supply, yes – and that’s what we intend to do, by bringing in gas and … quickly,” he told ABC RN.

“And you’ve got the gas here. This is a thing in Australia. We have sovereignty of all our resources, so why wouldn’t we use them?”

Mr Littleproud said unlike Labor, which aims to power 82 per cent of Australia’s grid through renewables by 2030, the Coalition will “have a spread in our energy mix”.

This includes a short-term strategy to boost gas before the Coalition’s promised seven nuclear plants come online by 2050, with the first two set to be active from 2035.

“(We’re) not putting all our energy in one basket,” he said.

“We will have renewables as well, make no mistake. There will be renewables as part of our grid.”

Nationals leader David Littleproud said a Coalition government would reduce energy bills. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Littleproud’s comments come as Labor is set to hand down its fourth budget on Tuesday that will include a six-month $150 extension of its energy rebates.

On Sunday, Jim Chalmers rejected assertions the sweetener was an “election bribe”, characterising the bill relief as “hip pocket help for households”.

However, the Treasurer declined to apologise for breaking Labor’s pre-2022 election promise to cut power bills by $275 and said the government was working to rebuild living standards.

“That means helping with the cost of living, getting wages moving again, the tax cuts which are already rolling out in the economy,” he said.

“All of this is about recognising that people are under pressure. We can respond to that in a responsible way, and that’s why really the defining feature of our term in government, and certainly the defining feature of Tuesday night’s budget, will be helping with the cost of living.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers won’t apologise for breaking Labor’s pre-2022 election promise to cut power bills by $275. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

While the Coalition says it will “not get in the way” of passing the rebates, Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie questioned why they weren’t means tested.

“Why am I getting that money, mate? Because, quite frankly, I’d rather my 150 bucks make $300 down to the next person below me that’s doing it really tough,” she told Sky.

“Not means testing and throwing your money out there, taxpayers’ money, the way they are like they’re a packet of lollies is absolutely disgusting.

“I don’t need that money, and many other Australians don’t need that money Not having it means tested, worst thing you could have done.”

Originally published as Nationals leader David Littleproud promises Coalition government would bring down power prices