Energy relief switched off under both Labor, Liberals

Both of NSW’s major parties have made promises of big savings on your energy bills — but who will help your family? Find out who is going to miss out under the different plans.

Hundreds of thousands of families will get no energy bill relief under a Labor government while a re-elected Coalition is staring down the barrel of a major budget blowout after only budgeting for 65 per cent of households to take up the scheme.

The two parties have exchanged barbs over their energy policies – a major sticking point in an election race focused on the rising cost of living.

Dominic Perrottet’s government has promised to slash power bills by $250 for households who compare their current energy deal, regardless of whether they switch providers.

Under Labor, small businesses will save $315 on their bills while the $250 discount will only apply to households who receive income support, are pensioners or senior health cardholders or get the family tax benefit.

The Coalition has seized on the means testing component of Labor’s policy to argue that hundreds of thousands of houses will not get any relief if Chris Minns is elected Premier on March 25.

NSW Labor and the Coalition’s energy policies

will each leave thousands of households without power bill relief.

The claims are based on household data extracted from the Department of Social Services, the Census and NSW government data.

Almost 70 per cent of households in The Hills and Strathfield will not be eligible for the $250 discount, according to the analysis, while half of the households in Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains and Blacktown will also not qualify.

Up to 70 per cent of households in certain suburbs will not be eligible for $250 off their bills.

But the Coalition’s own plan is not without issues with more than a million households set to miss out on the $250 reduction, according to independent analysis from the Parliamentary Budget Office. which costed the scheme at 65 per cent take-up.

If everyone who pays a power bill cashes in on the offer, the cost could blow out by more than $300m.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the Liberal policy was costed according to the take-up level seen on other similar policies.

He attacked Labor for forgetting thousands of homeowners.

“(Chris Minns’) own constituents will be among the hardest hit by Labor’s cuts, with an estimated 62 per cent of Bayside households among those with their rebates on Labor’s chopping block,” he said.

Labor’s energy spokesman Jihad Dib said about 310,000 small businesses with an energy account would miss out on relief under the Liberals.

He said its policy was “targeted support to households who are struggling the most through a cost-of-living crisis.”