Failed Energy Minister Guy
Barnett has followed his sheer incompetence on electricity bills with a cruel
hoax on Tasmanians who most need help in a cost of living crisis.
Following his abject failure
on power bills which will rise by 12 per cent because he abandoned the
government’s key energy policy to de-link Tasmania from the National
Electricity Market, Mr Barnett has attempted to cover his tracks today with a
series of re-announcements and so-called initiatives which will do little to
help struggling families.
His “announcement” of a
one-off payment to pensioners will barely cover half the of the electricity
price increase and does nothing for Tasmanians who are struggling with the cost
of living.
Loans of $10,000 are no use to
Tasmanians struggling to make ends meet week-to-week.
And Mr Barnett is also taking
credit for removing an aurora+ charge that he introduced when in fact he was
prepared to do nothing before Labor raised the issue of the additional charge –
and this is already factored into the price rise anyway.
Mr Barnett along with Jeremy Rockliff have to accept responsibility for a mess they have created and which will see families struggle even further with no help from the Liberal Government.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
