Labor welcomes the latest Australian Energy Market Commission report on residential electricity prices which projects that in 2023 Tasmanians could be paying $70 less on their power bills.
Shadow Energy Minister David O'Byrne said Labor recognises the crippling effect high power prices are having on Tasmanian households and businesses.
"Anything that can be done to reduce the burden of high electricity bills is a positive thing," Mr O'Byrne said.
"That's why we were so disappointed that the State Liberals rejected Labor's repeated calls for an energy supplement, to help Tasmanians who were hit with high power bills during the pandemic.
"The least the Government could have done was pay a modest supplement to help people weather this difficult time, which unfortunately seems far from over.
"The latest Energy Market report signals some serious concerns about the State Liberal Government's energy policy and whether Tasmanians will see the full benefit of lower energy costs reflected in their power bills.
"Last election the State Liberals committed to decoupling Tasmania from the National Electricity Market by 2022.
"We've heard nothing on this since. Does the Gutwein Government actually want to decouple from the NEM even if it means locking Tasmanians into higher electricity bills?
"This is a confusing and worrying policy.
"And in the meantime the Premier has misrepresented the situation by claiming that people's electricity bills have gone down this year.
"They may have stabilised but too many Tasmanians know only too well the impact of cripplingly high power bills and it's unfair to suggest they've benefitted."
David O'Byrne MP
Shadow Minister for Energy
