The Allan Labor Government has today tried to sneak through a draconian consumer gas appliance rebate ban by quietly publishing it in the government gazette.
The ban has been enacted without any consultation with industry, and will prevent any appliance company providing a rebate or support to a Victorian family for the replacement of a gas appliance with another gas appliance.
This is despite almost 60 percent of gas appliances being made in Australia and less than 5 per cent of electricity appliances being made in Australia.
The gas appliance industry supports over 4,000 direct jobs in positions ranging from engineering and manufacturing, to warehouse and retail roles.
Shadow Minister for Energy, Affordability and Security, David Davis, said: "Today the Allan Labor Government sneakily gazetted a ban on gas appliance rebates forcing Victorians to pay more for replacement appliances in the midst of a terrible cost of living crisis.
"It's cruel that Labor's ideological rules will hit many of our most vulnerable families when they can least afford it. This ban on gas is a fundamental denial of choice for Victorians.
"When families must replace old gas appliances this will be made much more difficult and expensive. Why block a rebate paid for by the manufacturer when most of the manufacturers of gas appliances are Australian based?
"Families are doing it very tough in Victoria, andbanning gas appliance rebates will be yet another hit totheir budgets."
