$50 slashed off your electricity bill
STATE GOVERNMENT
Queenslanders, including residents of the Douglas Shire, are set to see $50 wiped off their electricity bill for each of the next three years.
The state government yesterday announced the plan to make power bills more affordable for Queenslanders, a welcome move in uncertain times.
Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad said Queensland’s publicly owned power assets would deliver their third $50 dividend in three years, with two more to come.
The new $300 million household affordability package is part of the Palaszczuk Government’s ongoing commitment to lower electricity prices.
“Queenslanders pay the lowest average power prices of any mainland state in the National Electricity Market,” Ms Trad said.
“Unlike other states, the dividends from our publicly-owned companies flow not to multinational shareholders overseas, but to Queensland families across the state.
“The $50 dividend will be applied as a credit on your electricity bill. Your electricity retailer will apply this credit from the second half of 2020.
The announcement means that over five years, Queenslanders will have pocketed $250 from their dividend payments.
“With our new publicly-owned low emission generator CleanCo now pumping more renewable energy into the grid and CS Energy and Stanwell Corporation working on research to produce renewable hydrogen as an energy source, our publicly owned generators will continue to supply Queenslanders with affordable, reliable power for generations to come.”
Ms Trad said public ownership of power assets and the government’s clear energy policy was successfully placing downward pressure on power bills.
“Last year a report from the Auditor-General confirmed that the Queensland Government’s Powering Queensland and Affordable Energy Plans are working and delivering more stability and lower prices for Queenslanders,” she said.
The report outlined that, in 2018-19 alone, the state government gave back $1.07 billion to consumers in the form of rebates and subsidies, including funding to support the additional cost of supplying power to regional Queensland.
“In 2017–18, this government committed to ensure prices would not increase by more than inflation over the next two years for households and small businesses and tick we have delivered,” Ms Trad said.
The $50 dividend payment dividend will go to homeowners, tenants, customers who receive an electricity bill from their landlord or body corporate, and customers in communities with card-operated meters.
Have an opinion or point of view on one of our stories or a community issue? Please submit a Letter to the Editor here.
* Readers are encouraged to use their full details to ensure letter legitimacy. Letters are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport or its staff. Letters containing unlawful, obscene, defamatory or abusive material will not be published.
Got a great news tip or video? We'd love to see it. Send news tips to editor@newsport.com.au
Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport or its staff.
Reader comments on this site are moderated before publication to promote valuable, civil, and healthy community debate. Our moderation takes into consideration these guidelines and rules before comments are approved for publication.
