Angus Taylor behind decision to delay energy price rise report until after 2022 election

The former energy minister Angus Taylor asked his department to consider delaying telling voters about electricity price rises before the May election, then made the decision to do so.

Answers to questions on notice from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet also reveal that the then prime minister, Scott Morrison, was informed by treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, that he had given Taylor power to delay notification of the price rise.

But on 7 April 2022 the Morrison government amended regulations so that the offer was not revealed until 26 May, delaying the news that prices were expected to rise by 11.3% to 12.6%, or about double the expected inflation rate, until days after the election.

In December the federal government legislated to cap gas prices temporarily at $12 a gigajoule and cap coal prices at $125 a tonne and set aside $1.5bn for consumer rebates, to be distributed after the May budget.

Angus Taylor declined to comment.