THE HON ANGUS TAYLOR MP 
SHADOW TREASURER 

TRANSCRIPT 
INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES CROUCHER, NINE NEWS
Tuesday 25th October 2022 

Topics: Federal Budget

E&OE 

CHARLES CROUCHER: Angus Taylor welcome. Electricity prices going up, gas going up, this government's been in power for five months, that's your mess you've left? 

ANGUS TAYLOR: Well look, the test for Labor with this budget was whether or not they were going to address the challenge that Australians are facing, and the greatest challenge they're facing is rising cost of living. Now, it's clear that their walking away from a whole series of election commitments that impact Australians. And in fact, the typical Australian family, as a result of what this budget tells us will be $2,000 worse off by Christmas without any kind of relief. Broken promises everywhere, they've promised a $275 reduction in electricity prices, they're saying they're going to go up by 50% Charles. They promised that real wages we were going to go forwards. What's clear is that in this election cycle, real wages will be going backwards. They promised that cost of living pressures would be relieved. Tony Burke said that you would see the impact of a change in government in your bank account, well you're going to, but in exactly the wrong way. So, these are big, broken promises and that really counts. I mean, this is a disappointing budget. Australia needs a budget right now that is going to help them, Australians need a budget, that’s going to help them deal with the pressures they're facing. This clearly doesn’t.

CHARLES CROUCHER: Is there a solution to the energy problems? 

ANGUS TAYLOR: Well, you know, for a starting point, Labor should keep its election commitments. That's the single most important point I would make. There are a lot of things you can do. I mean, we drove down electricity prices over recent years for households by 8 per cent. We did it by getting more supply into the market. That's always the answer, making sure there's a balance of supply, record levels of renewables alongside dispatchable fuel sources, and you get the outcome, but right now Labor has lost even the will to do it. I mean, the budget document tells us that this year, electricity prices are going to go up by 20%, next year by 30%. And there's no clear message about how they're going to deal with that. Other than that, they are going to break their election commitments. 

CHARLES CROUCHER: Is there anything in the budget you like? 

ANGUS TAYLOR: Look, there are things we like. I mean, we strongly support and have had, for a long time supported appropriate support for childcare for paid parental leave. Paid parental leave is something that the Liberal Party has supported for as long as I've been in this Parliament. And it's good to see some focus on those two areas in the budget. And we'll certainly be providing some support for those initiatives.

CHARLES CROUCHER: So, a big fight for industrial relations and energy policy in the future. Thanks for your time tonight. 

ANGUS TAYLOR: Thanks Charles.

ENDS