Media release – Dean Winter MP, Shadow Minister for Energy & Emissions Reduction, 8 March 2023
19,000 Tasmanians fall into debt waiting for Liberal energy relief
More than 19,000 Tasmanians have fallen behind on their power bills while waiting for the Rockliff Liberal Government to provide household energy relief.
The latest OTTER Customer Consultative Committee report, shows there are 19,033 electricity customers in Tasmania repaying an energy debt, almost double as many as there were one year ago.
The average debt amount was above $700 per customer.
How long will these Tasmanians have to wait until the Government comes through with any relief?
The Victorian Labor Government, where power prices are now lower than Tasmania’s, has already announced power bill relief will be available later this month.
Community service organisations are seeing a spike in Tasmanians attempting to access help when it comes to cost of living, yet the Liberals are still sitting on their hands.
TasCOSS has called on the Tasmanian Government to “put its $33 million fund to use immediately, rather than leaving Tasmanians to struggle while a national approach is sorted out.”
If the Liberals stuck to their 2018 election promise to remove Tasmania from the National Electricity Market our state wouldn’t be in this mess.
Tasmanians deserve to pay Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power.
Tasmanian Labor has a policy of capping power price increases at 2.5 per cent. The Liberals have voted it down in Parliament twice.
Our concern is that there remains no detail on how struggling households are going to be supported.
Labor’s policy would ensure that Tasmanian households are better off by around $500 a year, and help reverse the worrying trend of growing energy debt.
Media release – TasCOSS, 8 March 2023
$33 million sits idle while energy debt surges
Tasmanian households have amassed $13.6 million of household energy debt as a $33 million allocation for energy bill relief sits in government coffers.
TasCOSS Acting CEO, Dr Charlie Burton, said the Tasmanian Government’s allocation of $33 million towards energy bill relief is most welcome, but implored the Government to get the funds into the hands of Tasmanians households struggling with energy costs.
“Households are being suffocated by high energy prices, energy debt and cost of living pressures right now. Meanwhile, there’s $33 million sitting in a reserve, with Tasmanians no closer to receiving meaningful support to pay their power bills,” Dr Burton said.
“We have a simple answer for the Tasmanian Government: put the $33 million fund to immediate use to help Tasmanians with energy costs, rather than leaving them in limbo.
“The number of customers in energy debt is trending upward and there is an increasing number of community members accessing Energy Hardship Fund payments, demonstrating more support is needed to help Tasmanians afford their energy.
“Previous Government assistance including the Winter Bill Buster payment, Energy Saver Loans Scheme and fee-free aurora+ app have been vital supports for many Tasmanians, however, there is mounting evidence the current level of support is inadequate.
“$33 million could wipe out the $13.6 million of household energy debt and still leave funds to provide bill relief, such as Bill Buster payments.”
In response to growing community concern about energy affordability, TasCOSS made a number of recommendations as part of our budget priorities to deliver bill relief, concessions reform and investments in household energy efficiency that will lower energy bills and help to prevent people entering energy debt.
Chris
March 10, 2023 at 09:50
Information has gone electric! Can we be informed as to what proportion of our power bills are subsidising big industry in this state? How many of these large corporations are on long-term contracts of 50 years as some have enjoyed in the past? Why does the app Aurora + not meet the requirements of its users? Why is the displayed balance owed never correct?
In my case today it’s showing me owing a sum of $17.08 for the month so far, with a note to top up now when I have a credit of $18.24. Imagine a pensioner or a person in poverty worrying about finding a false amount payable – shades of ROBODEBT where a demand is false! It also displays 61 days usage, where in fact my usage is for the last 12 days. Are the figures displayed in this app accurate or, like Robodebt, a false invoice?
Just to add to the HEC’s credibility as a Government Enterprise, some of its revenue is gouged from its Solar inputs where excessive power is fed to their grid and sold on at exorbitant prices.
During the last quarter I have used 663.9 kW-hrs of energy. I have fed 1204.3 kW-hrs to the grid for a return of $12.35. If they sell this power on, at the same proportion I am charged for it, they make $114.40 on the transaction.
Is this app a worry for customers due to its inaccuracy and poor reporting methods? Is it privatised?