A KEY driver for Australians struggling with the cost of living is the spiralling cost of electricity.
For many Australians, Labor’s Federal Budget did little to address this – focussing on rebates for those already on government payments.
But what about other working families who are also doing it tough?
The cost of keeping the lights on and the house warm this winter continues to pressure families who are feeling it at the supermarket checkout and the fuel pump. People are genuinely hurting.
And it’s not only family households – businesses are struggling too.
Last week in Parliament I raised the plight of a Mildura Fruit Juices Australia – their electricity prices went up $500,000 alone this year and forced them to reduce their intake of grapes because the cost to evaporate them into concentrate was unviable.
I was infuriated by the response from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.
The Prime Minister deflected and talked about gas (not electricity as asked), and then when called to return to the topic he pointed out that the Coalition voted against Labor’s energy legislation.
The fact is this legislation wasn’t blocked, it passed. And it has made no difference to prices. The fact is power prices are still increasing.
Minister Bowen then bragged about a more than $1600 reduction in power bills on average for Victorian small businesses – completely ignoring the $500,000 rise he was asked to respond to.
When I posted footage of this question and the “answers” to Facebook, overwhelmingly the feedback shows just how out of touch Labor is with the situation facing many Australians.
Particularly in the regions.
To Labor it is all a political point-scoring exercise, one they are happy to continue while ignoring Australian families struggling to make ends meet.
It isn’t good enough and I will fight to make sure they are held to account for this.
