Thursday 25 June, 2020
Electricity bills for regional households and businesses will fall by an average of $300 under an LNP government, LNP Leader Deb Frecklington said today.
Ms Frecklington said the $300 average saving would be on top of the reduction announced today by the Queensland Competition Authority in its determination for 2020/21 electricity prices in regional Queensland.
Ms Frecklington said the LNP’s plan to end Ergon’s monopoly by enabling private energy retailers to compete in regional Queensland would bring down prices for communities north of Gympie and from Toowoomba west.
“The cost of living has been hurting Queensland households for years under Labor,” Ms Frecklington said.
“The LNP will bring down power bills in regional Queensland by an average of $300 a year by breaking up Ergon’s monopoly.
“Labor has been using electricity as a secret tax to prop up the failing state budget.
“Right now Queensland families need a government that backs them, but the Palaszczuk Labor Government is ripping them off.”
LNP Shadow Energy Minister Michael Hart said the LNP’s plan was based on the findings of the Queensland Productivity Commission’s inquiry into energy prices.
He said an LNP government would provide a community service obligation (CSO) to Ergon to reduce the cost of regional distribution – allowing private retailers into the regional market.
“There are 27 energy retailers competing for customers in Brisbane, but the regions are stuck with one choice – Ergon,” Mr Hart said.
“The LNP will ensure that regional consumers gets lower bills like Brisbane.
“The fact is Labor is using its monopoly to hit consumers with a secret tax on electricity bills.
“The national regulator recently caught the Palaszczuk Labor Government red-handed trying to hike up its network charges, which would have pushed power bills even higher.”
