• Proposed electricity price hike of 10.3 per cent for irrigators and cane farmers
• Palaszczuk Labor Government yet to respond to recommendations for industry assistance
Households and in particular agriculture across the Bundaberg and Burnett region will be feeling the pressure of increased electricity prices and the Palaszczuk Labor Government has shown no signs of providing relief.
A proposed price hike of 10.3 per cent for irrigators and farmers comes after the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) handed down its draft determination on regulated electricity prices.
Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett said the increase of more than 10 per cent would add extra stress and strain to cane farming families already doing it tough.
“Between the drought and spiralling business costs, a power price slug would be a devastating blow for farmers across the Bundaberg region,” Mr Bennett said.
“While our canegrowers are struggling, the silence from the local Member for Bundaberg and the Labor Government in Brisbane is deafening.
“What is Labor’s member for Bundaberg doing to address these issues which are directly affecting our farmers? As the Minister for Agriculture she should be showing leadership and at least an understanding of her portfolio, and urging her Energy Minister to come up here and meet with farmers across the Bundaberg and Burnett region to see to impact of her government’s inaction.”
Shadow Energy Minister Andrew Powell said it was unbelievable to see that Labor’s Energy Minister had been sitting on his hands when the government had options to relieve this burden on farmers.
“The Queensland Productivity Commission (QPC) recommended earlier this year that the government should develop an industry assistance arrangement to help farmers transition from the existing regulated tariffs,” he said.
“This assistance package would be a lifeline for farmers across the state doing it tough, but the Palaszczuk Labor Government has yet to even respond to the draft QPC recommendations.
“With the shift to new tariffs by 2020, businesses – mainly in the agricultural sector – could face power price increases of up to 50 per cent.
“The Palaszczuk Labor Government is frozen at the wheel when they have the power to act and help cane farmers right across the state.
“For twelve months now Premier Palaszczuk has embarked on countless reviews but has refused to make the tough decisions to give hard working Queenslanders a hand up.”
ENDS.
24 March 2016