Cash back in Queensland pockets

Another $50 is on its way to more than two million Queensland households, with the state’s publicly-owned power assets delivering their fifth dividend in four years. 

Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said the Asset Ownership Dividend would appear on power bills from this month.

“Every dollar counts right now for Queensland households,” Mr de Brenni said.

“In good news for the whole state, Queensland households will receive $50 off their upcoming power bills because we own our power assets – the generators, the transmission and the distribution.

“And we’ve arranged with electricity providers to automatically apply the credit, so Queenslanders don’t have to apply.”

Across Queensland, a $50 dividend will be delivered to around:

• 116,700 households in the far-north, including the Tablelands, Cairns and the Cassowary Coast.
• 105,700 households across North Queensland, including Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook and Townsville.
• 11,700 households across the north-west, including Burke, Mount Isa and Cloncurry.
• 150,200 households across Central Queensland, including Mackay, Rockhampton and Longreach. 
• 119,000 households across the Wide Bay Burnett region, including Bundaberg, Gympie and the Fraser Coast. 
• 108,500 households across the south-west, including Goondiwindi, Toowoomba and the Western Downs.
• 1.45 million households across South East Queensland, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

Minister de Brenni said the $100 million in dividends was part of more than $350 million in rebates and dividends to directly help Queensland households and businesses with the cost of their utilities this financial year.

“Under our 2021-22 budget, we’re also investing $231 million to help pensioners, seniors and veterans with their electricity and gas bills, $10 million in emergency energy payments and $9.1 million to help around 1,700 regional businesses adjust to new tariffs,” he said.

Minister de Brenni said the Queensland Government was also investing more than $2 billion to supercharge renewables.

“Our $2 billion Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs Fund is going to create jobs, boost manufacturing and deliver cleaner, cheaper energy to Queenslanders,” he said.

“Investing in renewables is a key part of our plan to unite and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic because we know renewables deliver jobs and economic growth.

“Since 2015, 44 large-scale renewable projects have delivered about 7,000 construction jobs in Queensland and $10 billion worth of investment.

“And for a fourth year in a row, regional power prices have fallen with renewables driving down prices.”

Minister de Brenni said Queenslanders right now can provide feedback on how renewable investments could benefit their families, jobs and region.

“Now is the time to have your say on how the next wave of renewables investments can benefit you and your community,” he said.

“We’re after community feedback on Queensland’s three Renewable Energy Zones – southern, central and northern zones. 

“I encourage you to get online and complete the survey before it closes on Thursday 30 September.”

The online survey is available at: www.qld.gov.au/renewable-energy-zones

ENDS

Media contact: Dan Knowles 0432 681 664