The Rockliff Liberal Government is committed to supporting Tasmanians with the cost of electricity prices and we have put in place a targeted and multipronged response to support households and businesses.
We have ensured those who need support the most are provided with direct assistance.
Tasmania has the most generous electricity concessions of all States and those concessions are directly linked to inflation, so vulnerable Tasmanians on low and fixed incomes will continue to be supported.
Support for Tasmanians and businesses:
- As a result of our Assistance Package announced in mid-2022, about 94,000 eligible concession customers received a $180 Bill Buster discount on their energy.
- Up to $2.7 million is available for Aurora customers experiencing hardship and Aurora+ is now free for all customers, enabling them to take control of their energy usage and reduce bill shock.
- The $50 million Energy Saver Loan scheme is providing interest-free loans of between $500 and $10,000 over three years to private residential customers, small business customers and landlords of residential rental properties to invest in energy efficient products to help lower their electricity bills.
- Our Government has announced a further $50 million loan scheme to be designed in consultation with industry for larger commercial and industrial electricity users. Like the small business scheme, this new scheme will make available no interest loans of up to $10,000 and there will also be low interest loans up to a further $50,000.
- Invest $4.5 million each year on upgrading our social housing stock to increase energy efficiency, including things like double glazing, insulation, ventilation upgrades, cladding, heating, hot water systems, energy efficient lighting, floor covering and roofing upgrades.
- More than 31,000 Tasmanian businesses have received $165 million in grants and support since March 2020.
Energy and Renewables Minister Guy Barnett said increasing renewable energy generation would put long-term downward pressure on electricity prices for Tasmania.
“That’s why we have legislated a target for Tasmania’s renewable energy to double by 2040,” Minister Barnett said.
“Marinus Link is critical for unlocking the development of more renewable energy developments here in Tasmania, including wind, solar and pumped hydro projects and keeping downward pressure on prices.
“Labor’s so-called ‘price cap’ would cost Tasmanians $50 million a year, so it’s time they revealed which services they’re secretly planning to cut to pay for this thought bubble.
“And, a cap on regulated prices as proposed by Labor would do nothing for the electricity bills of the larger businesses Labor claims to be supporting, and just put at risk the investment in new generation we need to support our growing economy.”
The Federal Labor Government has committed to reducing electricity process for Australian households by $275 a year by 2025 and $378 a year by 2030 and the Tasmanian Government will continue to work with the Federal Government to ensure their intervention has a material improvement for electricity users.
