Send a ‘please act now’ to Minister McKim. Booth: Hydro betrays Tasmanians

We are asking for a few moments of your time to petition the state government because we are concerned that it is sitting on an important investigation that should be made public.

To his credit, in 2010 Minister Nick McKim gained budget 
funding for an important ‘Oil Price Vulnerability Study’ to be undertaken. The purpose of the study was to find out:

1) what sectors of the Tasmanian community will be 
affected by rising fuel prices and

2) the best ways to minimize such negative impacts on 
Tasmanian citizens, communities and the economy.

This is a very important area of study because growing 
energy prices can severely compromise vulnerable people 
and business sectors.

Read the rest HERE:

• CARBON PRICE SHOULD BE INCLUDED ON POWER BILLS

The Tasmanian Greens today called for Aurora Energy to be required to provide information on power bills detailing how much individual users were paying in carbon price, as well as the amount of compensation they are receiving.

Greens Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP raised the proposal with the Energy Minister Bryan Green during Budget Estimates today.

“This is a simple way for energy users to know exactly what proportion of their power cost is attributable to the price on carbon, along with exactly how much compensation they are receiving,” Mr Booth said.

“This would take the politics out of the Liberal Party’s deceptive and misleading campaign about impact of the carbon tax on energy prices.”

“Minister Green appeared receptive to the idea, and we look forward to hearing a more detailed response to our proposal in due course.”

“The Greens delivered this major reform at the Federal level, so we are keen to ensure that consumers are provided with as much information as possible so they can decide for themselves whether it’s been worthwhile.”

• HYDRO BETRAYS TASMANIAN POWER CUSTOMERS
As Momentum Gives Away Value to Mainland Football Clubs

Tasmanian Greens Energy spokesperson Kim Booth MP said power users should be alarmed that Hydro Tasmania, via its wholly owned retailer, Momentum, was offering carbon price free power to mainland consumers to the exclusion of Tasmanian small business and Mum and Dad electricity users.

“Hydro Tasmania is now acting as a rogue agency, giving away the carbon value of renewable power to the mainland, whilst the Tasmanian consumer pays through the meter to prop up Momentum,” said Mr Booth.

“If it is good enough for Tasmanians to pay a carbon price, then what on earth does Hydro think it is up to by under-cutting the price through subsidised power bills for mainland football clubs and small business?”

“Mainland Hydro customers via Momentum will now be subsidised by Tasmanian small business and Mum and Dad electricity consumers and this will have an adverse impact on both our economy and standard of living.”

“This is policy madness and the Minister must now step in and require Hydro to behave as a responsible State GBE and look after Tasmania,” Mr Booth said.