A report released today by the independent Australian Energy Market Commission shows that Tasmanian power prices, on average, are expected to come down further over the next three years.
The reason for the drop? The AEMC confirms that the removal of the carbon tax means that Tasmanians are now paying significantly less for their power.
The carbon tax was an unfair burden on Tasmanians and under the Liberals Tasmanians are now enjoying the benefit of its removal.
While this is good news, the Government believes that there is still more that can be done to ensure that Tasmanians pay the lowest possible sustainable power prices into the future. That’s why we are developing a Tasmanian Energy Strategy. The Strategy will look at ways to ensure that energy is once again an advantage for Tasmanians – delivering fair power prices that are amongst the lowest in the nation in order to help drive investment, create jobs and reduce cost pressures on households and business.
It’s almost unforgivable that under Bryan Green’s watch electricity prices went up by more than 65 per cent over 7 years and industries that employ thousands of Tasmanians were hit by massive cost increases as well, threatening jobs right across the State.
The Tasmanian Energy Strategy will lay out a pathway to ensure that once again energy is working for the benefit of all Tasmanians. The draft Strategy will be released by the end of this year for public input.
More information on the AEMC report is available here – http://www.aemc.gov.au/Markets-Reviews-Advice/2014-Residential-Electricity-Price-Trends/Final/State-and-territory-fact-pack/Tasmania-fact-pack.aspx
Matthew Groom, Minister for Energy
