Energy Minister Guy Barnett’s
answers on energy pricing are offensive to Tasmanians who are battling cost of
living pressures and a health system at breaking point.
His claim that the massive Aurora
bill shock is funding our health system is deeply concerning. He appears
to be saying that unless Tasmanians pay 12 per cent more on their energy bills,
it will impact our healthcare system.
This is not how budgets are supposed
to be run.
Tasmanians are starting to see
power bills which include the massive 12 per cent price rise. Over the
coming weeks and months, these bills will keep rising.
Minister Barnett’s failure to
deliver his policy to de-link from the National Electricity Market has caused
this. He broke his promise.
Rather than capping power prices –
as this government has done before – Minister Barnett remains transfixed on
projects he announced years ago but have not commenced.
There is no reason the government cannot support the price cap, as they did in 2018.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Energy Minister
