Every Queensland household will get a state-sponsored discount on their power bill later this year Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has promised amid confirmation electricity prices in the state could spike by 20 per cent.
She said it would be higher than the $175 rebate the state government had handed out last year, though the specific amount will only be locked once the electricity price safety net is for 2023-24 is settled and the federal budget is handed down in May.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE HOW QUESTION TIME PLAYED OUT IN PARLIAMENT
New figures show Queensland residents’ power bills would rise an eye-watering $321 a year while small businesses in the sunshine state can expect to be slugged an additional $669.
The state will cop the lowest power price increase of any state – with South Australia and New South Wales expecting increases of about 22 per cent, or more than $400 – but it is still a whopping 19.8 per cent rise for households and 19.4 per cent for businesses.
The Australian Energy Regulator’s draft decision on power prices was released on Wednesday morning, delivering a smaller increase than the 23 per cent forecast by Treasury – $50 cheaper than expected.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall
Increased prices, if confirmed with a final decision in May, will kick in from July 1.
The $321 is an average figure for a customer on the default market offer, the maximum retail electricity fees, with customers able to shop around to get lower offers.
“Today I can confirm that our government will be delivering another rebate on household power bills next financial year,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“We are committed to providing more support to households to help with the impacts of global inflation.
“The federal government will be announcing power rebates to support some households and small businesses in the May federal budget with support from our government. Once these rebates are locked in and we see the final energy prices in May, our government will go further.
“I can announce today that we will extend the power rebate to all households and our cost of living relief will be higher than the $175 rebate we provided last year.
“The final rebate will be determined based on the federal government support and the final power prices.”
Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage
Opposition Energy spokesman Ted O’Brien warned the price shock would start just in time for winter when the heating goes on.
“Energy bills have skyrocketed despite Labor’s promise of a $275 reduction and now they are set to soar even higher,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Winter is on the way and I have grave fears that senior citizens and families doing it tough won’t turn on the heater for fear of their energy bill.”
But Energy Minister Chris Bowen said there would be more relief on the way – and that prices would have been even higher if Labor had not intervened with coal and gas price caps to contain wholesale electricity price surges.
“We know that every increase will still be tough for consumers and small businesses – and that’s why we will continue to work with the States and Territories to deliver energy bill relief in the May Budget,” Mr Bowen said.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen energy costs skyrocket globally, and Australia has not been immune.”
Opposition energy spokesman Ted O'Brien. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman
Last year’s energy crisis, caused by soaring gas prices as well as a series coal-fired power station shutdowns in June and July, saw wholesale prices reach unprecedented levels and sparked fears over the flow-on impact it would have on consumers.
In an extraordinary market intervention, the Albanese Government implemented price caps on coal and gas producers in December in a bid to reduce the amount by which retail bills will rise.
Treasury modelling is predicting prices will rise by 23 per cent in the 2023-24 financial year, but would have gone up a whopping 36 per cent without the intervention.
It works out at a saving of $262 for an average household, if prices had risen by 36 per cent compared to 19.4 per cent.
LNP backbencher Bryson Head has asked Health Minister Yvette D’Ath about the Biloela and Gladstone maternity units, which are on bypass. He questioned when full services would be restored. Ms D’Ath said there had been shortages of obstetricians in the areas. She said it was something she had spoken about at length in the chamber in the community. “We will restore them when it’s safe to do so,” she said.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – NewsWire Photos – MARCH 15, 2023.Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk speaks during Question Time at Parliament House. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire
LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie's turn for a question for the Premier – who has taken every question in today's fired up Question Time. He is referring to a press release put out by the LNP Wednesday, which claims the state government's budget on infrastructure has blown out by billions. But the government has seized on this statement – which included a list of projects – as a "hit-list" of projects on the cutting block. "I always love a question from the Member for Kawana (Bleijie)," she says. "What we know now is the Opposition has a plan – the $10bn hit-list on projects. "What are they going to cut, this is their secret plan." She goes on to quote an Infrastructure Australia table which details the increased cost on supplies including steel and timber. "What we are doing is getting on with the job," the Premier says. "We say to those opposite be up front with Queenslanders – what do you plan to cut." – Stephanie Bennett
LNP transport spokesman Steven Minnikin has continued the cost of living theme with a question about vehicle registration costs. He told the House that the vehicle registration component of the registration bill had increased from $280 in 2015 to $348 this year. In response, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she understood vehicle registration costs in Queensland were similar to other states. She again touted the government’s rebate plan – which is unrelated to vehicle registration costs.
Another cost-of-living question – this time from former LNP leader, Nanango MP Deb Frecklington. Her question to the Premier is on Queenslander's average annual bulk water charge, which has jumped from $363 in 2015, to $528. Ms Palaszczuk gives her shortest answer yet in under 30 seconds – saying water rebates are available. – Stephanie Bennett
LNP energy spokesman Pat Weir has continued the line of questioning about cost of living – saying the Auditor-General had suggested the shutdown of the Callide power station had contributed to high power prices. He asked Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk if a lack of management of power assets had allowed power prices to go up. In response, Ms Palaszczuk questioned what would have happened if the assets had been sold off – seemingly referring to the former LNP government’s proposal to lease assets. “We stopped the sale of the assets,” Ms Palaszczuk said. She urged Mr Weir to have a cup of tea with shadow attorney-general and Newman government treasurer Tim Nicholls to discuss what the former LNP government planned to do. Ms Palaszczuk did not directly answer the question. Quick bit of context on Callide Power Station, the part of Queensland’s energy production network which gives us more drama than MAFS. The state’s second-largest power station will be operating at half capacity for at least five months longer than expected. The announcement from CS Energy last week of more delays getting Callide C back on deck came nearly two years after part of the plant exploded and four months after a cooling tower in the other section collapsed. State-owned CS Energy, in an announcement to the market, confirmed Unit C3 would be back online at partial capacity from September 2023 and running full pelt by December—a delay of three months from their original estimate of June 2023. Unit C4, which exploded in May 2021 and caused massive blackouts across the state, was meant to come online from May 2023. But CS Energy said this would now occur in stages between October 2023 and January 2024. The company, in a statement, said revised come back dates were due partly because it had decided to rebuild the cooling tower for Unit C4, which was not damaged in the explosion but is of the same age as the cooling tower which caused C3 to fritz. The combination of C3 and C4 being offline means Queensland is without 840MW of coal-fired power generation capacity. – Jack McKay, Madura McCormack
Will Premier take the blame on sky high living costs?
LNP housing spokesman Tim Mander's turn to chime in – and he is also trying to pin the Premier on cost of living. He's gone for sky-high rental prices, asking Ms Palaszczuk whether a 27 per cent fall in residential lot releases has contributed to the housing crisis. But the Premier has taken the question in her stride – saying it's a council issue – and putting the blame squarely on the shoulders of Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. "It's a council issue – and where councils are doing that we are prepared to assist," she says. She also lists a string of investment the government has made, saying "we have the largest amount of funding ever invested in housing from a government". – Stephanie Bennett
The revitalisation of Woolloongabba will include an active travel corridor to South Bank and the CBD. The rebuilt Gabba stadium will anchor the major urban renewal project, connecting Cross River Rail and the Brisbane Metro. A new artist impression of the Gabba Stadium and map of the proposed PDA and how it will connect with Brisbane’s iconic locations. Artwork Supplied Department of the Premier and Cabinet Brisbane Olympics 2032
Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has kicked off question time by asking if billions of dollars in cost blowouts on government projects were impacting cost of living. Ms Palaszczuk hit back, saying the government’s infrastructure program was delivering thousands of jobs – ensuring families could put food on the table and pay their bills. In the middle of her response, deputy LNP leader Jarrod Bleijie interjected – prompting a rebuke from the Premier. “I won’t be lectured to by anyone who advocated pink jumpsuits,” Ms Palaszczuk quipped, in reference to Mr Bleijie’s time as attorney-general in the Newman government. She branded Mr Bleijie the opposition’s biggest liability, as she urged the LNP “put him out every day”. “We love it. We absolutely love it,” the Premier said. “They are the laziest opposition ever.” Mr Crisafulli continued his line of questioning by asking the Premier what responsibility she took for the cost of living crisis. She again said the best thing a government could do is to give people a job – as she accused the former LNP government of leaving behind an “out of control” unemployment rate. – Jack McKay
Help for flood affected in Queensland’s northwest on the way
Primary producers and small businesses in the Local Government Areas of Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Mornington and Mount Isa can now apply for concessional loans of up to 250,000 dollars, to repair or replace damaged buildings, plant, equipment or livestock. Flood affected graziers and small businesses impacted by severe flooding in Queensland’s remote northwest can get access to six-figure government loans to get back on their feet Agriculture Minister Mark Furner has said. He also revealed the state government and their federal counterparts were in discussions about potentially increasing how much disaster funding will be made available to flood impacted residents. Primary producers and small businesses in the Local Government Areas of Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Mornington and Mount Isa can now apply for concessional loans of up to $250,000 to repair or replace damaged buildings, plant, equipment or livestock. They can also apply for up to $100,000 for working capital to keep business going as they recover. This Category B funding is being administered by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) All affected primary producers in the North West can visit the QRIDA website or call 1800623946 Affected primary producers can also access freight subsidies of up to $5000 which are being administered by the state Agriculture Department. – Madura McCormack
