Brad_Collins(200416_04)

Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett has thrown his support behind small, local electrical businesses facing ruin under Palaszczuk Labor Government.

Mr Bennett warned that Labor’s plan to allow a government-owned mega energy company to compete against local electricians would cripple local small businesses in the Bundaberg region.

He said the Palaszczuk Government’s planned Energex and Ergon merger would create a new business marketing electrical services such as solar installations and maintenance of meter boxes, subsequently forcing thousands of electricians to compete for business.

“Labor’s crazy plan to merge Energex with Ergon and then allow the new company to unfairly bid against sparkies for bread and butter electrical work will have a huge impact on our local small businesses,” Mr Bennett said.

“It’s clear that the Labor Government hasn’t properly considered the risks to small businesses associated with creating such a huge monopoly business.

“Many local tradies and small business owners operating in the industry are rightly concerned that their businesses will be affected because of Labor’s poor planning and they deserve answers.

“Unemployment in the region is at an all-time high, yet here we have the government creating an unfair playing field and effectively stealing jobs from our hardworking local electricians.”

Mr Bennett called on the Member for Bundaberg to stand up for local electrical businesses.

“The Member for Bundaberg has turned her back on our local small businesses.  If she was genuine about protecting jobs in our region she would urge her government to pull the plug on this absurd plan that will throw our small businesses and their workers under the bus.”

Bundaberg small business owner Brad Collins, of Hemisphere Electrical & Solar, fears his livelihood will be affected by the government’s move.

“At the moment it’s hard enough dealing with the bigger companies in solar… they are obviously buying in bulk and they’re cheaper than us smaller installers. To have ergon energy Queensland-wide doing the same thing, it will be very hard to compete,” Mr Collins said.

“As a small installer, we do the best we can to get the best prices for our customers, so you can imagine Ergon is going to be buying in high quantities which will bring that price down and make it very hard for us to compete price-wise.”

Mr Collins said while he had employed an apprentice to keep up with growing demands, he was concerned the government’s plan to create an electricity monolith would hurt his chances of expanding the business.

“At the moment solar is a really good industry being free energy, so people are taking that on board which is keeping my apprentices in a job,” he said.

“But if I haven’t got work and can’t see the sales coming in, I can’t grow my businesses and put anyone else on.”

Mr Bennett said the LNP had launched a petition protesting Labor’s merger plan this week.

“I’m calling on our community to help Save Our Sparkies by signing the petition to tell Annastacia Palaszczuk to put a stop to her plan that puts our local sparkies’ jobs at risk,” he said.

Sign up to the Master Electrician Queensland e-petition at www.timnicholls.com.au/sos or www.masterelectricians.com.au.

ENDS.

21 April 2016