Energy Minister calls out LNP power bill porkies

Lies, damned lies and statistics: that’s what the LNP is currently playing with on power bills, according to Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham.

“The facts are that household and small business power bills in Queensland are expected to fall next year under a draft decision by a national energy regulator,” Dr Lynham said.

The LNP is up to their usual tricks ---- or possibly just bad maths --- with numbers.

“Ergon and Energex proposed cuts to their network charges in January, and the national regulator proposes that those cuts could be a little more.

“And cuts in power prices is what the Palaszczuk Government has been delivering under our Affordable Energy Plan.

“Queensland has the lowest average electricity prices of any mainland state in the National Electricity Market.

“All up, over two years, a typical regional small business will have saved $230 and a typical household, $82 – thanks to our Affordable Energy Plan.

“The Palaszczuk Government is subsidising regional electricity prices by almost half-a-billion dollars this year so families in regional Queensland pay the equivalent to families in the south-east corner.

“We can achieve these savings for Queenslanders because we own our electricity assets -– the generation, the poles and the wires.

“Under the LNP, power prices went up 43 per cent and they planned to sell Ergon and Energex.

“And their so-called regional competition policy would add $400 to every reginal power bill or cost taxpayers another $700 million.

 “Can Queenslanders ever trust these people again with our electricity assets?”.

BACKGROUND

The Australian Energy Regulator has this week released its draft determination on Ergon Energy and Energex’s proposed revenue for 2020 to 2025.

Ergon and Energex provided their draft submissions to the AER in January. The final distribution determination is due from the AER by April 2020 and takes effect from 1 July 2020.

In its submission, Energy Queensland said it would reduce overheads by 10 per cent over the five years through a combination of measures including material and contract savings from the merger of Ergon and Energex and “digital transformation” with new technology.

[ENDS]

Media contacts: Jan Martin 0439 341 314