A lack of national policy leadership under the coalition government has greatly contributed to Australia's energy problems, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says.
Mr Shorten says the Australian Energy Council has found a lack of policy certainty is the biggest driver of the nation's rising electricity costs and he thinks that problem lies with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's government.
"Under Mr Turnbull, what we've seen is energy prices going up, pollution going up and security and reliability going down," he told reporters in Adelaide.
"He needs to do much better and this is a problem of his weakness and his lack of leadership on a national energy market."
The Australian Energy Market Operator on Thursday warned of future power supply shortfalls, which could cause blackouts in South Australia, NSW and Victoria unless gas production is boosted and supplied to electricity generators.
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Opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler told reporters Mr Turnbull's shelving of an emissions intensity scheme has contributed to less investment in gas which has, in turn, fed the shortfall.
He said it was clear the national electricity market was "just not working".
"It was designed for a different era, it's not working across the country and it's particularly not been working as we've seen here in South Australia," he said.
