House debates
Wednesday, 29 March 2017
Statements by Members
Energy
1:53 pm
Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source
I rise to commend the recent action by the Prime Minister and the Treasurer to direct the ACCC to review retail electricity prices. This is the first inquiry that the ACCC has undertaken into this, and it will be very welcome news for the hardworking families across my electorate on the Central Coast.
In fact, just over a week ago, I held a community forum at Umina Beach and received dozens of community surveys back from local residents. Again and again, these surveys showed what local residents tell me every single day—that the pressure from the rising cost of living is one of the top priorities we need to tackle to help make life easier for people on the Central Coast. These families will be pleased to know the consumer watchdog will investigate this issue thoroughly and will file an interim report within six months and then in detail by the middle of next year.
We know that electricity prices for households have doubled during the six years of the Labor government. Prices came down somewhat with the scrapping of the carbon tax, but recent upward pressure needs to be addressed in a way that protects families and businesses. That is why we are taking action in other areas, too, like delivering the Snowy Mountains scheme 2.0 to increase its generation capacity by 50 per cent, adding 2,000 megawatts of renewable energy, enough to power 500,000 homes. The gas industry has also committed to cheaper, more reliable energy for households. Ensuring the lights stay on and prices are affordable is central to this government's approach to energy policy. (Time expired)
Comments
Andrew JACKSON
Posted on 9 Apr 2017 5:09 pm
Solution is not another enquiry. Government needs to build new massive GOvernemnt owned coal powered generators and sell electricity at cost till other (more efficient private industry electricity generators) drop their price. Central Queensland has Coal and Water. A massive dam on FItzroy below Fairbairn would be an ideal location. After all Bjelke Petersen could do this at GLadstone and did not even pay for the Coal.
Best place to put the ACCC is to use their economic rationalist reports as fuel for the generator and use all their staff and directors (along with the inevitable GReenie protesters) as stokers and haulers of coal.
A Dam on FItzroy would stop flooding of Rockhampton and improve pasture for Rocky abatoirs.
Tibor Majlath
Posted on 3 Apr 2017 5:06 pm
Hope the ACCC review into retail electricity prices doesn't suffer the same fate as the inquiry into rising health premiums. What happened to the inquiry?
Not that long ago Coalition members were arguing that reserving gas for domestic use didn't work. How will the gas industry's commitment to cheaper, more reliable energy help households when they recently announced increases in gas prices?
The government's approach to energy policy might result in lower cost of 1 KWH, but how does it address the escalating cost of network charges which make up nearly 50% of an electricity bill - it never dropped with the abolishing of the carbon tax?!
The Coalition's repetitive mantra is meaningless without details.