Surging power prices push Victorian families towards brink of poverty, report shows

FAMILIES feel they are one bad power bill away from losing everything as surging power prices push Victorians towards the brink of poverty, a new report shows.

• Households paying inflated electricity and gas prices
• Power bills crippling Victorian families
• Families go without fresh food to stay afloat.
• Katie Bice: Rising cost of everything fuels voter anger

SURGING power prices are pushing Victorians towards the brink of poverty, with a new report showing families feel they are one bad bill away from losing everything.

A new report from RMIT and the Victorian Council of Social Services, released today, has revealed families are risking poor health to stay on top of their rising utility bills.

FAIR GO FOR FAMILIES: TAKE OUR READER POLL

The survey detailed how some Victorian families are:

SHOWERING at local charities or pools to save money on hot water;

NOT turning on heating and airconditioning in the family home unless guests are over;

EXPERIENCING health problems because they will not use temperature control in the home; and

MAXXING out credit cards and shuffling money around just to stay on top of the household budget after power bills arrive.

Surging power prices are pushing Victorians towards the brink of poverty. Generic picture: Supplied

The release of the report comes as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today meets with the heads of Australia’s major energy retailers.

Talks between the retailers and senior government figures are expected to focus on the dramatic increase of household energy bills and recent reports of companies switching consumers to more expensive rates without their knowledge.

VCOSS chief Emma King said families needed action as they faced another round of higher bills.

“The national debate about power prices is getting bogged down by numbers,” she said.

“Numbers are important. But behind every number is a person suffering while they struggle to pay their power bill. They must not be forgotten.

“Power companies also need to lift their game and offer better deals.”

A new report shows families feel they are one bad bill away from losing everything. Generic picture: Getty

Ms King called on politicians to rise above the debate for the sake of families struggling with household budgets.

“As politicians bicker over who’s to blame for high power prices, Australians on low-incomes are suffering,” she said.

“They’re going to bed to keep warm, skipping meals and raking up huge credit cards debts.

“Something has to change.”

For Mark Brewer, the constant burden of higher power bills has even stopped him from letting guests charge their phones at his apartment.

“I ask them to do it at home because I can’t afford to have the electricity going all the time,” he said. “We’re not a poor country so why are resources so dear here compared to everywhere else?

“They (energy retailers) are making money off this so where is all that going?”

[e-mail]