Premier hints Victorians could soon score power saving cash bonus

Premier Daniel Andrews has hinted Victorian households could soon enjoy a new round of the $250 power saving bonus as gas and electricity bills skyrocket across the state.

Daniel Andrews has unveiled a strong hint that Victorian households could soon enjoy a new round of the $250 power saving bonus.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed that combined gas and electricity bills have risen to a record $4400 a year for typical families in some outer suburbs and regional towns, sparking calls for urgent new relief.

The eye-watering cost of living hit is revealed in St Vincent de Paul Society’s latest tariff tracker report, which shows price hikes this year have added $675-810 on average to dual-fuel household bills across Victoria.

Volatile wholesale prices and the cost of maintaining and building poles and wires to get power to homes have helped pile on the pain.

The highest average bill cost — $4425 — for dual-fuel families is in the historic engine room of Victoria’s energy generation, the Latrobe Valley.

Similar bills are landing in northern and eastern suburbs including Warrandyte and Ringwood, and across northern Victoria in Wangaratta and Wodonga.

The highest average bill cost — $4425 — for dual-fuel families is in the Latrobe Valley. Picture: iStock

The Premier on Tuesday said Victorians could assume that more financial support could be on the cards.

“Having done four rounds of this (power saving bonus), I think that it will be self-evident that we of course may well do a fifth,” he said.

“I think it’s logical to assume that if and when we can, then of course we stand ready to do a fifth.

“I don’t have any announcements to make about that today.”

The power saving bonus payment can be received by eligible households who compare their household energy prices online.

Households in Melbourne’s outer suburbs were the most active in claiming $250 energy bill relief in the past six months.

While the CBD had the most applications for the Power Saving Bonus, with 19,953, the next eight top suburbs were on the city’s fringes.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – who was in Melbourne with Mr Andrews on Tuesday morning – said 5.5 million Australians would benefit from an increased JobSeeker payment, which would increase by $56.10 each fortnight.