Electricity retailers forecasting further price spike from do-nothing Labor

28 Jul 2017 11:01 AMMichael Hart

 

Electricity retailers forecasting further price spike from do-nothing Labor

Thursday, 27 July 2017

 

• Power bill tabled in Estimates show customers are facing a 400 per cent increase in instalment payments

• Retailers are locking families into higher electricity instalment contracts because Labor’s energy generators have been price gouging

• Labor’s do-nothing approach to soaring power prices hurting Queenslanders

 

Queensland families are set to face even higher power bills as Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor fail dismally to take any action to bring downward pressure on sky-rocketing electricity prices.

 

Today in Budget Estimates LNP Shadow Energy Minister Michael Hart tabled a power bill from a distressed Queensland family facing a 400 per cent increase in their instalments on future electricity bills as retailers predict an electricity price spike.

 

“Today we submitted clear evidence that power retailers are expecting wholesale electricity prices to keep climbing and they will push those costs straight onto long-suffering Queenslanders,” Mr Hart said.

 

“The customer’s latest bill notifies them that, as of September, their power bill will rise from $50 to $176 dollars per week – or from around $2400 per year to an extraordinary $9000 per year.

 

“No householder should have to bear that kind of price rise and yet the Palaszczuk Labor Government continues to deny their power policies are hurting each and every Queenslander.

 

“I hate to think what would happen to a pensioner who didn’t read the fine print on their bill from this retailer and suddenly is thousands and thousands of dollars in debt with no way of paying what’s owed.

 

“And all we heard from the Acting Energy Minister Curtis Pitt today was more denials that state-owned power generators are price gouging and more excuses about how Labor’s mad green energy policies weren’t to blame.

 

“This is proof that retailers are locking in higher power prices because Labor’s energy generators have been gouging.

 

“Only the LNP will Build a Better Queensland.”

 

*NB: consumer power bill attached

 

 

Media contact: Eloise McNee 0432 606 320