Families left in dark over power costs

FAMILIES are being left in the dark as they buckle under the weight of electricity costs with disconnections soaring over the past year.

The Salvation Army and St Vincent De Paul have said they’ve seen an increase in the number of people reaching out to them for help with their electricity bills and disconnections.

And a number crunching of the latest national electricity disconnection figures from the Australian Energy Regulator by News Corp Australia shows an 11 per cent increase over the year 2017-18 in residential electricity disconnections.

Hardship cases have also risen nationally, climbing 13.7 per cent, but the number of payment plans being offered by retailers has fallen 5.7 per cent.

Electricity companies have opened up a war with the Federal Government saying the increased pressure on families is due to a lack of clear energy policy at the top levels of government which is keeping power prices high.

A spokesman for the Australian Energy Council, that represents retailers, said disconnections remain the very last resort for electricity companies.

“For their part retailers have recently announced reductions in some prices and continue to work to keep prices down, but the lack of a national energy policy will continue to put pressure on electricity costs,” the spokesman said.

Manager of policy and research at St Vincent de Paul Gavin Duffy said more families were in stress and hardship and the increased use of smart meters made disconnecting customers easier.

“We do notice it is more likely that families are the ones being disconnected because when your kids are screaming you put food on the table and everything else is pushed to the side,” he said.

The Salvation Army’s Brad McIver said an urgent “co-ordinated national strategy” was needed to stem the tide of people in distress.

The Australian Power Project’s Nathan Vass said the government needed to demand electricity companies did more for customers.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor said the Morrison Government was committed to getting a better deal for Australians.

Labor’s Opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler said Australia was in the “deep throes” of an energy crisis.