Kingston Drycleaners is one of many Tasmanian businesses left hurting by broken Liberal promises on power prices.
Electricity costs skyrocketed by 30 per cent last year for the business, bringing its total annual power bill to $36,000.
The government promised they would reintroduce the rebate scheme to help businesses like this, but instead they have the new Large Business Customer Electricity Support Scheme, which doesn't work.
Like many businesses, Kingston Drycleaners don't meet the criteria for this scheme because they don't use enough power to qualify.
For other businesses, there's so much red tape that it's not worth the time to apply, particularly when the returns available under the scheme are so low.
In fact, during the recently held Budget Estimates, it was revealed that only 10 businesses have been approved grants under the scheme, for a combined total of approximately $160,000.
When it comes to the skyrocketing price of energy bills, Labor has one simple belief - we should pay Tasmanian Prices for Tasmanian Power.
That's why under Labor's Right Priorities Plan, we've promised to cap electricity price increases at 2.5 per cent a year for all households and regulated business customers if we're elected to government.
We would also re-establish the electricity rebate scheme that was in place in 2018, which would ensure that businesses don't have to jump through hoops to benefit from the state's abundance of cheap, renewable energy.
With all our affordable, renewable energy, Tasmanian businesses should be paying Tasmanian prices for Tasmanian power.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Minister for Energy & Emissions Reduction
