Peter Dutton hints at 15pc cheaper gas under broader plan to be unveiled over election

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has used a Sydney forum to hint at a broader gas plan to make prices 15 per cent cheaper domestically.

Delivering a keynote at the Future Western Sydney Forum on Friday, Mr Dutton said Coalition would make prices cheaper under a soon to be unveiled national gas plan.

The plan aims to protect Australia from price surges in the international market by decoupling gas sold on the domestic market.

“For example, if this decoupling was in place as of February this year, I can announce today that gas prices would have been 15 per cent cheaper domestically,” he told the forum.

“Under our national gas plan, we will establish an East Coast gas reservation power project approval times and bring new projects online.

“We will grow our domestic gas market delivering cheaper power, and grow our export gas market delivering increased revenue.

“But by ramping up domestic gas production, the Coalition will ensure that Australian gas is for Australians.

“(It) will see prices start to drop by the end of this year.

“A critical source of relief for the economy is cheaper energy.

“Natural gas reduces electricity. It keeps the lights on in this building and across the economy.

“Suffocating domestic gas by Labor has created gas shortfalls, which has driven up the cost of gas and costs across the economy.”

He said Coalition’s plan was about ensuring gas policy benefited Australians by decreasing costs in an affordability crisis.

He also addresses questions about the Coalition’s policies on working from home, migration, and infrastructure investments, highlighting the importance of coordinated planning and investment in Western Sydney.

Mr Dutton also declared this election a contest of cost-of-living relief.

The Liberal leader said his Coalition government was the best choice to address the affordability crisis that many in the outer Sydney area face.

“Western Sydney has felt the full force of Labor’s power increase,” he said.

“Gas prices are up by 38 per cent across New South Wales, and we know that some Sydney households at an increasing rate, are signing up to hard to hardship provisions with their energy providers.

“I want to see the residents of Western Sydney thrive once again.”

He said residents wanting to get into housing had been priced out in the last three years of the Albanese Government.