Damp carpets and strong debate: federal parliament is back for a surprise encore to debate energy bill

But Opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Thursday Labor had “cobbled together” the plan “essentially on the runway”, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flew to meet national cabinet leaders on Friday.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Thursday Mr Albanese’s approach to pushing through the bill was reckless. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

He accused Mr Albanese of trashing parliamentary convention, and his promises to be consultative, by providing details of the complex package just 12 hours before the vote.

But Mr Albanese insisted Australians battling a spiralling cost of living crisis cannot afford any delays to the bill, after the October budget projected energy prices to rise 56 per cent next year.

“That’s the choice: vote for this plan and be part of the solution, or vote against it and be part of the problem.”

What’s in the package?

Independent senator David Pocock will also vote in favour of the package, giving the government enough votes to make it law.

The wholesale price of coal will be temporarily limited to $125 per tonne, after major coal producers Queensland and NSW agreed to oversee a price cap last week, while gas prices will also be frozen at $12 per gigajoule for 12 months.

“Having had 22 policies in government, but not landing one of them, they now want us to have no policy also.”

‘Ideological zeal’

“There are very real reasons to doubt that it will [work] … those are the kind of matters the parliament should be considering.”

Greens leader Adam Bandt during debate on the bill in federal parliament on Thursday. The Greens support the bill. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

Coalition frontbencher Ted O’Brien said Labor would be unable to meet its net zero emissions by 2050 target without the Australian gas sector.

“This is all about ensuring the government themselves can intervene into a marketplace.”