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Victorian power prices surge 9% and worsening energy poverty in defiance of Allen Labor government claims of reduction

Victorian power prices surge 9%, contradicting government claims of reduction, says Martin Cameron, Nationals Member for Morwell. Residents face rising bills, worsening energy poverty.

By news@gippsland - 18th April 2024 - Back to News

Power prices in Victoria have risen again with the Australian Energy Regulator reporting a 9% spike in wholesale electricity costs for the January to March quarter - more evidence the state government's promise to reduce energy prices is in tatters, according to The Nationals Member for Morwell, Martin Cameron.

Cameron criticises Labor's promise to revive the State Electricity Commission as a sham, stating no progress has been made in 18 months

Rising energy costs

Mr Cameron said the increase was another hip-pocket hit for Victorians who already copped a massive 28% increase, on average, to their power bills last year. "The Minister for Energy keeps telling us that power prices are going "down, down, down", but the opposite is happening and there is no sign of downward trends emerging."

"There also remains a significant disparity between the cost, reliability, and resilience of energy supply between metro areas and regions like the Latrobe Valley. Energy costs are astronomical and rising at a concerning rate, despite Labor's promise to reduce power bills. The reality is that people are having to choose between feeding their families or powering their homes, and that is a decision nobody should have to make," he said.

Labor's electricity promise

Mr Cameron said Labor's much-hyped revival of the State Electricity Commission and the promise it would bring power prices down has so far proven to be nothing but a sham. "Eighteen months since Labor announced it would revive the SEC, it has done nothing to shore up our energy supply," he said.

"It has invested in one single project, as a minority shareholder, when the private sector was already doing the work without taxpayer funds. For almost a decade now Labor has mismanaged the grid, and Victorians are literally paying the price, with many now living in energy poverty. Victorians are doing it tough, and life is only getting harder under Labor," he said.

Pictures from Victoria Energy Rates website.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com