Peter Dutton to announce a ‘big’ Coalition policy this week

Under pressure to present alternative policies, Opposition Peter Dutton says his budget in reply speech will include a major announcement.

The Coalition won’t “stand in the way” of Labor’s $150 energy bill rebate for households and small businesses as Opposition Leader Peter Dutton teases a “big announcement” this week.

Mr Dutton has confirmed he will use his fourth budget in reply speech on Thursday to outline the “next stage” of what the Coalition believed was required to get Australia “back on track” and ensure families can “afford to live again”.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will announce a major policy this week in his budget reply speech. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

With the latest date the election could be held – May 17 – now less than two months away, pressure has been mounting on the opposition to release its alternative policies.

Mr Dutton said the Coalition would be focused on stability, keeping Australians safe at home and the country secure, lowering inflation, and restoring the “dream” of home ownership for young people.

“We’ll outline more of that detail as we go toward the election and it will be a better plan to get our country back on track and it will be a positive plan to make sure that we can help families and help businesses and help our economy grow,” he said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says in the year to December power bills were 25 per cent lower. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Labor on Sunday announced a six-month extension of its current energy rebate scheme, meaning all households and small businesses will receive a $75 discount on their power bills for the final two quarters of 2025.

The scheme had been due to expire on June 30, but Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the expansion was in recognition of the ongoing cost of living concerns “front of mind” for a lot of Australians.

“Even with all the progress we’re making as a country together on inflation, we know that people are still under pressure, and this responds to some of that pressure,” he told Sky.

Mr Chalmers argued the combined impact of Labor’s assistance in the year to December was a 25 per cent decrease in electricity prices.

Coalition treasury spokesman Angus Taylor says the party won’t block Labor’s $150 energy bill rebate. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

The Coalition has hit back at this claim, pointing out bills are considerably higher than they were three years ago.

Mr Chalmers also said the energy bill rebate scheme could be reviewed and extended beyond six months.

Asked if the opposition would support the $150 energy bill relief, Coalition treasury spokesman Angus Taylor said “we’re not going to stand in the way of Labor cleaning up their own mess”.

“The starting point here, though, is very clear, which is Labor has failed on delivering its promise of a $275 power price reduction,” he told the ABC.

Mr Taylor described the rebate as a “band aid on a bullet wound”.

“The solution here is to get a structural outcome, which is a reduction in underlying electricity prices, which has not been achieved, of course, it’s gone the other way,” he said.

Originally published as Peter Dutton to announce a ‘big’ Coalition policy this week