95% Businesses Excluded from Liberal Energy Hardship Scheme

Tasmanian Labor

The centrepiece energy policy of Jeremy Rockliff's State of the State speech will fail to assist nearly 95 per cent of business customers on market contracts for energy.

The Government'sSupplementary Appropriation Bill reveals the Liberals are seeking to appropriate $6 million to fund their energy hardship scheme.

If just 300 businesses receive a $20,000 grant through the scheme, the $6 million budget will be exhausted.

There are approximately 5,000 Tasmanian businesses on market contracts for energy that are suffering as a result of the Liberal Government's broken promises on power prices.

What are the other 4,700 businesses who miss out on grants supposed to do once the money runs out?

Many of these businesses are facing energy costs that are up to three times what they previously paid, and the relief offered by the Liberals is nothing more than a drop in the ocean.

The Government has already had to revise the hardship scheme once because of its failure to consult with Tasmanian businesses, many of which were locked out of the scheme only hours after it was announced.

The Liberals are showing that they are making things up as they go when it comes to energy, and Tasmanian businesses and households are literally paying the price.

Dean Winter MP

Shadow Minister for Energy & Emissions Reduction

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