State Parliament must resume on 9 August so that it can act on skyrocketing power prices.
The cost of living crisis is the most important issue facing Tasmanian families. Yet, rather than ease household pressure, the weak Liberal Government has increased costs with a new bin tax, water bill increases and refusal to support Labor’s plan to cap power price increases.
If Jeremy Rockliff is serious about addressing the cost of living crisis, he will walk into the Parliament on 9 August and support Labor’s power price cap bill.
Labor’s Bill would cap power prices at 2.5 per cent rather than the shock 11.88 per cent increase announced by the Tasmanian Economic Regulator, which amounts to an average yearly increase of $227 for every Tasmanian household.
Alarming new inflation data released yesterday shows the cost-of-living crisis is getting worse by the day and Tasmanians are paying the price while the Rockliff-Ferguson government sits on its hands. That data does not even include the 12% power bill shock for Tasmanian families.
Labor’s Bill gives a weak Premier an opportunity to show he cares. He cannot delay the next sitting of Parliament. His chaos in his government is not Tasmanians’ fault. They should not suffer higher power bills just because he is focussed only the internal turmoil engulfing his government.
Dean Winter MP
Shadow Energy Minister
