As Australia suffers from dramatically increased electricity
prices, now well believed to be brought about by privatisation, the "for
profit motive" pushing up prices, unplanned power station closures
creating additional demand in the system, consumers are doing it very hard.
We are now seeing a position where the ACCC, Australia's competition regulator, a conservative and
largely pro competition, deregulation and not adverse to supporting
privatisation, holding an inquiry across the country into electricity prices, and has now arrived at the
point where its reporting Government policies, including privatisation have
failed the Consumer and caused great hardship to low income earners. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-27/accc-accuses-states-of-price-gouging-over-electricity-supply/8748766
The on air television version of the above link news article showed privatisation,
of generation and distribution assets had caused this pain for consumers. The report also reported on the extreme hardships being caused to old aged person and others on low
income or aged pensions. In some cases afraid to turn there electricity light on, let alone issues associated with heating .
We have also seen very low wages growth in Australia in repent times,
which along with price increase in electricity are squeezing families both ways…
in today’s media we have seen a report by super market giant ‘Coles’ that consumers
are buying less quality food to scrimp and save for their power bills the news
report can be found at http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-28/coles-boss-on-energy-bill-fallout/8751852
The report includes the following quotes – "While this trend is occurring across
most of our stores, it is particularly pronounced in stores located in the
local government areas which have seen the highest cost-of-living increases. "They're
having to choose what they're going to feed their family which is
disastrous."“ Mr Durkan said there was no doubt high energy prices and the
outlook for higher bills was forcing customers to make hard decisions.”
In the State of South Australia that has both high costs as
well as supply issues (as we have seen lately) the state government is now looking at a collective
contract of electricity supply for those on low incomes …. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-27/further-power-bill-relief-planned/8747842
Meanwhile in the State of Queensland, the State Governments Labor
Political party, has released a video on their face book page showing the
difference in electricity price increases for the states that have privatised electricity,
this state has not, the differences are reported for the increases in this
coming year alone
