‘New Government Data Reveals Large Electricity Prices are on the Way’ says Fletcher

Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield said new Department of Climate Change data has proven that major electricity prices are on the way for Bradfield households.

 ‘The latest Department of Climate Change data indicates that electricity generators are going to be sent a $3.9 billion carbon tax bill and this bill will be paid for by households and businesses’, said Mr Fletcher.

‘Treasury has already said that the carbon tax will push electricity prices up by 10 per cent and gas prices by 9 per cent’.

 ‘The electricity generators are warning they will ration production and push up prices as a way of recovering the billions they will pay for the carbon tax’.  

 ‘In turn, this will lead to price increases for every business that uses electricity. Coffee shop prices will go up, bakery prices will go up, air fares will go up and dry cleaning prices will go up’. 

Mr Fletcher says the government’s compensation package assumes that prices will only go up 0.7 per cent. 

‘Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan have underestimated the cost of the carbon tax, just like they underestimated the cost of the school halls program and pink batts scheme and just like they underestimated this year’s deficit’.

Mr Fletcher says the carbon tax will hurt household budgets, harm businesses and cost jobs.

‘I voted against the carbon tax in the Parliament because it will hurt households and jobs.  We opposed the tax in opposition and we will rescind it in government’.