Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for Energy and Renewables, 28 February 2023

Delivering more support for Tasmanian businesses

The Rockliff Liberal Government is committed to supporting Tasmanian households and businesses with the cost of electricity and cost-of-living pressures and today we are expanding our targeted support package.

“Our strong financial management has allowed the Revised Estimates Report to include a provision of $33 million towards the National Energy Bill Relief program, which is currently being negotiated with the Australian Government. This package will provide further targeted support for those households and small businesses that need it the most,’’ Minister Barnett said.

“However, we also know that there are larger commercial and industrial businesses, that are being hard hit coming off non-regulated contracts, and these businesses are not within the proposed scope of the national relief package.

“That’s why the Rockliff Liberal Government will be implementing our own state-based program to support this group of Tasmanian businesses through hardship payments of up to $20,000.

Today I met with Tasmanian whisky distillers Damian and Madeleine Mackey, of Hunter Island Whisky at their New Town distillery. Damian said their business would benefit from any assistance with their electricity bills as an energy-intensive business.

“This week we officially launched our new product Hunter Island Whisky but it’s not well known that there are significant costs in producing every barrel and bottle, particularly energy bills’’, said Mr Mackey

While Tasmania has the most generous electricity concessions of any State at $44.9 million in 2022-23, we have always said that we were prepared to do more to help Tasmanian households and businesses.

For larger Tasmanian commercial and industrial businesses to be eligible for the hardship payment, they will need to have re-contracted between April 2022 and 28 February 2023.

These new initiatives will build on our Winter Bill Buster discount of $180 provided last year to more than 94,000 eligible concession customers, in addition to our $50 million Energy Saver Loan schemes covering households and small businesses and up to $2.7 million in hardship support for Aurora customers.

Our $50 million ESLS for small businesses and households has been an outstanding success so far with 655 applications as at January 23 with 566 loans approved worth $4.8 million value, 193 installations completed and 61 vendors approved to supply the products and services.

As we head into autumn and winter I would encourage all Tasmanians, and especially small businesses, to consider this loan scheme as part of their future energy plan.

We know that cost of living pressures are a major concern for Tasmanians so helping businesses and households be more energy efficient is a great long-term solution to reducing electricity bills.

And, we announced just before Christmas a further $50 million loan scheme for larger commercial and industrial electricity users, which is currently being designed in consultation with industry.

The 2022-23 Budget provided more than $300 million in concessions to help vulnerable Tasmanians with day-to-day living expenses including $44.9 million in electricity concessions, $19.2 million in council rate remissions and $9.4 million in water and sewerage concessions.

By building a strong economy the Rockliff Liberal Government will continue to prioritise Tasmanian households and businesses with targeted energy and cost-of-living support.

We will continue to work with the Australian Government to finalise the details of the National Energy Relief Package, ensuring it benefits as many Tasmanians as possible.

Dean Winter MP, Shadow Minister for Energy & Emissions Reduction, 28 February 2023

Liberal energy payments won’t provide lasting relief for businesses

Today’s $20,000 electricity hardship grant announcement by Guy Barnett is a mere drop in the ocean of what’s needed to relieve electricity price pressure on Tasmanian businesses.

The Liberals’ 2021 election policy said:

“We have successfully de-linked from mainland wholesale market volatility through legislated, capped regulated power prices and the Commercial and Industrial rebate scheme.

“In the event of future volatility, we retain the ability to re-introduce one or both of these schemes in order to protect Tasmanian households and business from future price hikes.”

By breaking their promise they have effectively put Tasmanians last.

The fact of the matter is that power prices aren’t expected to reduce any time soon, and one-off bail outs for business who’ve already been driven to the brink won’t fix it.

What would fix it, is reintroducing the rebate scheme, capping power prices and effectively delinking from the National Electricity Market – which is exactly what Labor would do in Government.

Tasmanian Labor introduced legislation twice during the 2022 parliamentary year to cap power prices but each time the state Liberal Government voted against the legislation.

Tasmanians should be paying Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power.

This policy is indicative of a government that is old and tired and out of ideas.

Media release – Rebecca White MP, Labor Leader, 1 March 2023

The Liberals are old, tired and have lost their way – it’s time for a change

The lack of energy, ambition and direction for the year ahead displayed by Jeremy Rockliff and his government proves the Liberals are old, tired and have lost their way.

This Government is so lost that in the face of serious economic headwinds, its top priority is to build a stadium that will cost the Tasmanian taxpayer at least $460 million.

If Jeremy Rockliff was to look outside his stadium blinkers, he might see that Tasmania is in a health, housing, education and cost-of-living crisis.

While there’s no magic wand that’s going to solve these challenges overnight, there are so many things that would make a real difference.

Labor understands a strong economy is the foundation of a good society, and that extending opportunity to one expands opportunity for us all.

Key initiatives a Labor Government would implement immediately include:

  • Power prices/cost of living
    • Ensuring Tasmanians pay Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power by capping power price increases at 2.5 per cent per year for the next three years
    • Applying a power rebate for larger contracted customers, who’ve seen their prices double and in some cases triple over the last nine months
    • Immediately legislating to prevent any further increases in the Liberals’ bin tax
  • Budget
    • Freezing expenditure on consultants and government advertising at 2020 levels, saving an estimated $120 million over a term of Government
    • Ending the rorts by requiring all government grant programs to go through proper budget and parliamentary processes
    • Not wasting the best part of a billion dollars on a waterfront stadium in Hobart
  • Housing
    • Placing a pause on any more whole homes being transferred from rental properties to the sharing economy
    • Fast-tracking the urgent repair of 215 public houses that are currently unable to be lived in
  • Health
    • Investing in our district hospitals and regional health facilities to make sure they are properly utilised and ensure all Tasmanians can access timely healthcare, no matter where they live
    • Bringing north-west maternity services back into the public sector within six months

 Tasmanians want a government that helps to protect our way of life and ensure that our children and our grandchildren can enjoy the opportunities our state offers.

The Tasmanian Labor Party is ready to take on that challenge and start building the future Tasmania deserves.

 

Media release – TasCOSS, 1 March 2023

Spike in household energy debt warrants immediate Government action

TasCOSS welcomes the Tasmanian Government’s $33 million commitment towards energy bill relief, but is calling for the funds to be immediately released as new figures reveal the number of Tasmanians in energy debt has doubled in the past year.

TasCOSS Acting CEO Dr Charlie Burton said low income households are struggling under the burden of sharp rises in energy prices and cost of living pressures.

“The latest retail energy market performance data shows there are more than 19,000 electricity customers in Tasmania repaying an energy debt. This is a 40% increase on last quarter and a doubling of the number one year ago,” said Dr Burton.^

“This should be of concern to the Government, because the reality is whether it’s $1 or $1,000 in debt, there are 19,000 Tasmanians who cannot afford to pay their bills.

“The Winter Bill Buster Payment, Energy Saver Loans Scheme and fee-free aurora+ app outlined in the Premier’s State of the State address have been well received by the community, but this latest data tells us that level of support is inadequate, as more and more households are struggling to pay their energy bills and accruing debt.

“With the number of customers in energy debt continuing to trend upward and an increase in the number of community members accessing Energy Hardship Fund payments, more support is needed to help Tasmanians afford their energy.”

Dr Burton said TasCOSS made a number of recommendations in response to growing concerns about energy affordability and energy debt.*

“We are urging the Government to put its $33 million fund to use immediately, rather than leaving Tasmanians to struggle while a national approach is sorted out. This is a clear opportunity for the Tasmanian Government to act on some of our recommendations to better support Tasmanians with energy costs,” he said.

“TasCOSS would like to see this funding used to support more people on low incomes, by providing bill rebates and expanding concessions eligibility, helping to prevent entering energy debt.

“With the growing problem of household energy debt hitting a new spike and the cooler months just around the corner, it is imperative the Government acts now to provide much-needed relief to Tasmanian households.”

^ Projects on the Go (February 2023), Activities of OTTER prepared for the OTTER Customer Consultative Committee.
* For more information and a list of key recommendations, please refer to Wellbeing First: TasCOSS 2023/24 Budget Priorities Statement.