Liberal Party Says No Immediate Drop In Energy Bills If Elected

Senator and Coalition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume has said that voters shouldn’t expect their energy bills to immediately drop if the Liberal Party is elected this year. 

The cost-of-living crisis is top of mind for many voters going into the federal election, set to be held on or before May 17th 2025. As a result, the Liberal Party has accused the current government of inflating energy prices up and promised voters cheaper bills, but Senator Hume has said these slashes should not be expected on day one. 

Speaking to the ABC, Hume said: “To tackle the cost-of-living, you need to tackle inflation. To do that, you need to do it at its sources. We would make sure that energy prices come down by putting more energy in the system.” 

When asked when Australians could expect cheaper bills, Hume commented that there needs to be “more gas in the system” and plenty of supply before prices can come down. 

“Of course it’s not going to be a reduction in your energy bills on day one,” she further added. “The only way you can do that is through subsidies, which actually make the problem worse, because sustained increases in government spending push up inflation.” 

Coalition moving away from Labor’s energy policies

Hume’s comments indicate the Liberal Party’s intent to shift away from the energy policies of the Albanese Government, which includes Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s plans to wholeheartedly embrace nuclear power. 

Estimated to cost $331bn, Dutton has repeatedly claimed that the introduction of nuclear energy would power Australia at a cheaper rate than Labor’s renewable energy plan. However, he has faced heavy scrutiny for this plan from a variety of sources, including the Climate Council and Nature Conservation Council. 

In a statement in June 2024, Climate Council Head of Policy and Advocacy Jennifer Rayner said in a statement: “Under Dutton’s scheme Australians will pay twice: untold billions in direct public funding for nuclear reactors, and even more in lives and livelihoods lost because of worsening climate pollution.”