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03.CHOICE calls on Senate to help lower energy bills

energy-prices-lead

CHOICE has made a submission to the Senate inquiry into the key causes of electricity price increases and solutions to help lower energy bills for Australian households.

CHOICE is calling on Australia's energy ministers to work together to adopt major reforms before the end of 2012 that will help lower energy bills.

New research with a nationally representative sample of over 1000 Australians shows electricity is the household expense people are most concerned about. Despite this there is limited awareness as to why prices have gone up in recent years and are predicted to increase over the next few years.

Over the past four years, electricity bills for Australian households increased by an average of 48% on top of the 9% or so due to the carbon price on a national level. Around half of these increases have resulted from the multi-billion dollar price tag for energy infrastructure.

CHOICE's recent research has showed that people are most likely to place the responsibility for reducing electricity bills in the hands of governments, compared with other stakeholders.  

Find out more about our research.

 

 

CHOICE believes the senate committee can play an important role in identifying proposals that will deliver the greatest long-term benefit to Australian consumers. Our recommendations include:

  • Changing the regulations of Australia’s energy networks so that they invest in the most cost effective solution to meet consumer needs whether it be supply or demand-based, with a greater emphasis on reducing peak demand;
  • Creating strong national protections and providing better tools for energy consumers, including giving households access to their own consumption data; 
  • Putting in place a cost-effective national program to help households with energy efficiency savings, with the potential to save households up to $296 a year in 2020; and
  • Ensuring the roll-out of new energy technologies is consumer focused, demonstrating clear benefits to consumers that outweigh costs, and prioritising community engagement.

Join our call on state energy ministers to work together to adopt major reforms before the end of 2012 and stop the ongoing excessive and unnecessary electricity price increases for Australian households. 

You can also help us campaign for lower energy bills by signing up to become a campaign supporter.

 
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