Bundaberg families, businesses and industries are struggling to make ends meet as Annastacia Palaszczuk continues to tax them by stealth, using them as cash cows through their power bills.

LNP Shadow Energy Minister Michael Hart, Burnett MP Stephen Bennett and LNP Bundaberg candidate David Batt today visited Manta Bargara Resort to see first-hand the impacts of Labor’s electricity price gouging.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk has been caught out ripping off every man, woman and child in Queensland,” Mr Hart said.

“Worse still, every extra dollar Labor adds to the power bill of businesses like Manta Bargara Resort is the nail in the coffin for another local job.

“Labor loaded up government-owned power companies with $5 billion of debt and increased dividends to 100 per cent – forcing them to increase electricity prices which in turn have been passed on to consumers.

“Make no mistake, we are in this mess because Annastacia Palaszczuk is using electricity as a tax by stealth.

“Labor is killing jobs and hurting the state’s economy and has been caught red-handed gouging families, small businesses and manufacturers with higher wholesale electricity prices.”

LNP Burnett MP Stephen Bennett said there wasn’t a local business or family he had met with that wasn’t hurting from rising power prices.

“I have witnessed first-hand the impact of higher electricity prices on families, small businesses and industries in the Bundaberg region,” Mr Bennett said.

“Businesses are facing the harsh reality of having to increase prices or reduce hours of their employees due to these rising electricity costs.

“Power bills have reached record levels under Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor and there is no relief in sight for households or small businesses.”

LNP Bundaberg candidate David Batt said Labor’s so-called power policy announced last month was only available to those living in the south-east corner.

“What a kick in the guts that was for struggling Bundaberg families, businesses and industries,” Mr Batt said.

“It just goes to show how Brisbane-centric this Labor government is and what they really think of Bundaberg families.

“The effect of higher power prices on Bundaberg families is the number one issue raised with me – no one is immune from Labor’s disgraceful cash grab on electricity bills.

“Bundaberg families are sick to death of being slugged to the back teeth with record power price rises under Labor.”

Tuesday, 12 September 2017