Dim view of energy plan

LNP blasts $1 a week policy as measly and biased

GOLD Coast residents will receive a discount of less than $1 a week off their electricity bill and be worse off than Queenslanders in rural areas, the state opposition has warned.

Residents living north of southeast Queensland can expect a much better deal from the State Government in what the LNP believes is an attempt by Labor to secure votes in the north before the State poll.

Opposition energy spokesman and Burleigh MP Michael Hart described the Government’s $2 billion Affordable Energy Plan as “confusing”.

“There’s absolutely no detail in it at all,” Mr Hart told the Bulletin.

“If you are in regional Queensland and you sign up to their plan and pay your bills in advance, they will give you a $75 discount in December each year. We’re only getting $50. It’s a complete sham. It’s not equating to lower prices – we are putting policies in place that lower the prices for everyone.”

The Government yesterday announced a raft of measures, including annual discounts of $75 for regional households and $120 for small businesses which take up a direct debit option.

An estimated 200,000 households are expected to take up the offer but the $15 million in discounts will not apply to the Glitter Strip.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a $50-ayear cut in power bills at the weekend and vowed electricity costs would be pegged to average inflation across the next two years.

The announcements followed a tough time in the last session of Parliament after a government blueprint warned that due to high electricity usage this summer airconditioners should be kept at 26 degrees to “effectively manage demand during risk periods”.

Queenslanders are paying almost $2000 for power in 2017-18 while small businesses face costs of $2550 after rises of more than 4 per cent.

Labor Coast candidates yesterday campaigned on the changes, saying the budget measures could be achieved by reinvesting all dividends from the State-owned electricity asset.

Gaven Labor candidate Meaghan Scanlon told the Bulletin: “We look forward to seeing the modelling of Malcolm Turnbull’s National Energy Guarantee, but it won’t start delivering promised savings until two years from now.

“In contrast, we will deliver larger, fully modelled savings to Queenslanders now.”