David Littleproud denies former government’s policy failures contributed to energy crisis

Nationals leader David Littleproud has hit back at suggestions the former Coalition government is partly to blame for the energy crisis impacting Australia. Increased winter demand for energy, unscheduled outages at coal-fired power stations, and gas shortages due to the war in Ukraine have led to soaring gas and electricity prices across much of Australia.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen accused the Coalition’s “lack of a coherent policy framework” over its nine years in power of contributing to the crisis facing Australian manufacturers and households.

“They’re not responsible for the war on Ukraine, which has impacted on global supply chains or for particular flooding, in particular, coal mines,” he told Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program. “What they are responsible for is for the lack of robustness of our system, which has really underprepared our country for this crisis.” But Mr Littleproud denies any blame lies at the former government’s feet. “The one lever that Chris Bowen hasn’t been able to pull is that to pick up the phone and talk to the gas companies,” he told the ABC’s Insider program.

“That’s the action that we have been able to do in the past because we had a relationship with them. We haven’t demonised them, we haven’t put them down.”

Mr Bowen said Resources Minister Madeleine King had already been in talks with Australia’s gas companies, and he will be meeting with his state and territory counterparts this week to discuss the issue. He also confirmed the Australian Energy Market Operator has activated the gas supply guarantee to meet some of the shortfall in the southeastern states. Despite gas companies saying they don’t have any more capacity to increase supply, Mr Littleproud said former energy minister Angus Taylor had assured him that they do. “They’re riding high up in the stirrups,” he said.

“They do have the capacity to increase supply and that’s where you need to have a relationship with them and be able to work with them.”

Asked whether he would implement a gas reserve plan like Western Australia, Mr Bowen said the government was looking at any sensible measure, although added it’s not just about gas, it’s about the entire energy supply system. “Absolutely whatever action is necessary the Albanese Labour government will take to ensure reliable energy,” he said. “In the longer term, the policies we took to the people for more transmission, more storage, more renewables are even more important. “This is in some senses an over-reliance on particular energy sources, particular energy sources that have led us to this situation us to this situation because of the lack of foresight, the lack of vision that Peter Dutton, Angus Taylor and their cronies have given us over the last nine years.”

Liberal Leader Peter Dutton said Mr Bowen is demonstrating his inexperience and “doesn’t know which way to jump”.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has confirmed the Australian Energy Market Operator has activated the gas supply guarantee. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS

But Mr Bowen scoffed at the Coalition’s comments. “Advice from the previous government, which Angus Taylor has been happy to give out – and I notice Peter Dutton has been giving out – is about as effective as advice from the captain of the Titanic on navigation skills,” he said. Mr Dutton has also called for the government to pull the so-called gas trigger, which was put in place by Coalition and would see gas exports diverted for domestic use. But Mr Bowen reiterated that would not come into operation until 1 January, even if it was pulled now. “It’s about as blunt as a basketball in terms of its effectiveness,” he said. “It is not the answer to this short-term crisis.”

With AAP