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Bracks Country Gas Price HikeThe Bracks Government has failed to assure country Victorians they will not be slugged a surcharge with their promised natural gas connection, Shadow Minister for Country Victoria Philip Davis said today. By Philip Davis - 25th February 2005 - Back to News Mr Davis stated in Parliament yesterday that Labor’s own Member for Ballarat Province, Dianne Hadden had said on radio earlier this week the Bracks Government was "dumping on country Victoria" and the $3 per gigajoule surcharge on gas was "not part of the promise." (Dianne Hadden, 774 ABC radio, 22 February 2005)
Mr Davis called on Minister for Energy Industries and Resources Theo Theophanous to remove the price penalty.
"The Bracks Government has delayed implementing its election promise of connecting natural gas to country towns," Mr Davis told Parliament.
"In addition, recent announcements by TXU indicate that it will charge a 30 per cent price premium for new country customers.
"Will the Minister act to remove this price penalty, or will he, as Dianne Hadden said, dump on country Victoria?"
But the Minister refused to remove the premiums, instead telling Parliament that the extra costs for country consumers "represents a massive reduction on what would otherwise be the case, and he (Mr Davis) should welcome it."
Mr Davis said Minister Theophanous’ dismissal of the issue was cold comfort to country communities who have been waiting since the 2002 election to see work begin on their promised gas connections. The news that Victorians will be paying more per gigajoule than expected is just another slap in the face.
"If indeed the Bracks Government gets around to acting on its pre-election commitment to connect country Victoria to natural gas, the towns of Creswick, Port Fairy, Barwon Heads, Camperdown, Maiden Gully, Woodend, Macedon, Riddells Creek, Romsey, Lancefield, Gisborne and New Gisborne can expect to pay $14 to $16 per gigajoule for their gas compared to $10 to $11 charged to TXU’s other customers," Mr Davis said.
"This is another penalty slugged to country Victorians by the city-centric Bracks Government.
"Victorians living outside the metropolitan area are tired of being treated like second class citizens by the Bracks Government."
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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