Second energy bill relief begins for SA residents
At an expensive time of year, nearly half a million families and small businesses in one state will see a significant ease on a key expense.
Companies
Don't miss out on the headlines from Companies. Followed categories will be added to My News.
One state government is delivering a $500 boost to families and small businesses as its second round of energy bill relief payments begin.
The second instalment of relief is now flowing to thousands of South Australians, providing vital support in the lead-up to Christmas.
Worth about $254m, the scheme, announced in June, will be paid out over a two-year period, funded jointly by the federal and state governments.
The plan provides energy bill reductions of $500 for eligible households and a rebate of $650 for eligible small businesses over the year.
Anyone who is eligible will have the discount automatically applied to their bill.
“As we head into Christmas, a reduction in energy bills will provide some relief at what is traditionally a very expensive time of year,” South Australian Treasurer Stephen Mullighan said.
Initially, relief was automatically applied to people already receiving government assistance.
The rebate has now been expanded to include Commonwealth Family Tax Benefit recipients, people receiving a Carer Allowance and holders of certain Department of Veteran Affairs cards.
The Commonwealth government agency Services Australia has been contacting eligible households directly and inviting them to apply.
Those who missed out on the relief in the first quarter will have a higher amount deducted from their bills, ensuring they receive the full $500 across the 2023-24 billing year.
Those households receiving both the existing state government concession of $263.15 and the jointly funded rebate will save up to $763.15 in 2023-24.
Thousands of other businesses are also getting the $650 energy bill reduction from early next year.
This expansion will increase the number of small businesses that can now access the scheme by several thousand.
The June state budget provided $471.3m in cost-of-living relief for South Australians – the largest package of cost-of-living relief measures ever deployed in South Australia.
“Our June state budget provided the largest package of cost-of-living relief measures ever deployed in South Australia – a large part of that to reduce energy bills,” Mr Mullighan said.
The full criteria for the energy bill relief scheme, and how to apply, is available on the South Australian government’s website.
Explainer | National energy bill relief for households by states:
State and territory governments are administering the energy bill relief.
To get bill relief you must hold an eligible concession card or receive an eligible government payment in the state or territory you live in. How much you can get and when you get it depends on where you live.
You must be the account holder for your principal place of residence to receive the bill.
Your household can only receive one bill relief credit in the 2023-24 financial year.
You may be eligible for the energy bill relief if you hold or receive a Carer Allowance, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card or the Family Tax Benefit.
Find out more about your relief by your state or territory:
ACT
Eligible households in the ACT will receive one bill relief credit of $175.
You could be eligible for the rebate if you hold one a concession card, such as ACT Services Card, Pensioner Concession Card or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card.
Find out more here on the bill relief for households in the ACT.
NSW
Eligible households in NSW will receive one bill relief credit of $500.
To get the bill relief payment in NSW you must have an eligible Commonwealth concession card or payment, receive the Family Tax Benefit or have an eligible medical condition.
People using certain energy-intensive life support equipment at home are also eligible.
Find out more here about eligible NSW energy rebates.
Northern Territory
Eligible households in the NT will receive one bill relief credit of $350.
If you already receive the existing NT Concession Scheme Electricity concession, you will also receive the bill relief payment.
To be eligible, you must hold a valid concession card, such as a DVA Orange Card, Parenting Payment single or live in an Indigenous Essential Services remote community household.
Additionally, if you are living in an eligible remote community you are eligible for the credit and do not need to take any action.
Find out more here to see if you are eligible and what concession cards you need to have.
Queensland
All eligible Queensland households will automatically receive a $550 cost-of-living rebate on their electricity bill.
Eligible households who receive the $372 Queensland Electricity Rebate will automatically receive the $700 Cost of Living Rebate on their electricity bill within the 2023-24 financial year, bringing their total relief to $1072.
Applicants must hold a Queensland Electricity Rebate Scheme concession card and live alone or with only other eligible people in their principal place of residence.
Eligible concession cards include Queensland Seniors Card, Health Care Card and ImmiCard.
Find out more here to see if you are eligible and what concession cards you need to have.
Tasmania
Eligible households in Tasmania will get $250 in bill relief rebates per year over two years (2023-24 and 2024-25).
If you already receive the annual electricity concession under the existing Tasmanian annual electricity concession, you will automatically get the bill relief rebate for that year.
Eligible concession cards include Health Care Cards, ImmiCard and Pensioner Concession Card (Services Australia or SVA).
Find out more here about eligible Tasmania energy rebates.
Victoria
Eligible Victorian households can get $250 in bill relief.
For those already receiving the Victorian electricity concession scheme, you will also automatically get the bill relief payment.
Eligible concession cards include Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Gold Card,
Health Care Cards (including Low Income Health Care Card) and the Pensioner Concession Card.
Find out more here about eligible Victorian energy rebates.
Western Australia
Eligible West Australian households can get up to $400 in bill relief.
Those who are eligible for the WA Energy Concession Extension Scheme (ECES) or the Energy Assistance Payment (EAP) can get up to $500 in bill relief. This is in addition to the ECES or EAP payments.
Find out more here to see if you are eligible and what concession cards you need to have.
Explainer | National energy bill relief for small businesses by states:
Those who run a small business from home using electricity from their house will not be eligible for the relief or if your annual electricity consumption is above the small business threshold.
ACT
An ACT small business can get $325 in bill relief if it meets the eligibility criteria.
This includes being on a separately metered business tariff with an electricity retailer and having an annual electricity consumption below the 100MWh threshold.
Find out more on the small business energy bill relief for the ACT here.
NSW and Queensland
NSW and Queensland small businesses can get $650 in bill relief if they meet the eligibility criteria.
In both states the small business needs to be on a separately metered business tariff with an electricity retailer and have an annual electricity consumption below the 100MWh threshold.
Check if your business is eligible in NSW or QLD.
Northern Territory
A Northern Territory small business can get $650 in bill relief.
Eligibility will be based on whether the business’s annual electricity consumption between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2022 was below the 160MWh threshold.
New customers over this period will automatically be treated as eligible.
Businesses are not eligible if they are an agency, institution or corporation of the Territory or the Commonwealth.
Find out more on the small business energy bill relief for the NT here.
Tasmania
A Tasmanian small business can get $650 in bill relief if it meets the eligibility criteria.
This includes being on a separately metered business tariff with an electricity retailer and having an annual electricity consumption below the 150MWh threshold.
Find out more on the small business energy bill relief for Tasmania here.
Victoria
Victorians can get $325 in bill relief if they own a small business.
The annual electricity consumption must be below the 40MWh threshold.
Check out the eligibility here.
Western Australia
A West Australian small business, charity group or customer of Synergy or Horizon Power can get $650 in bill relief payable over two $325 instalments.
You cannot receive the bill relief if your business consumption is greater than 50MWh in the 12 months prior to May 9, 2023.
See if you are eligible here.
Originally published as Second energy bill relief begins for SA residents
Sacked Rex Airlines hostess speaks out
A ‘heartbroken’ air hostess has issued a frustrated message to a Rex customer who complained their flight had been cancelled.
Administrator targets new Rex owner within five weeks
Rex administrators are preparing for a quick sale of the airline with Asian investor PAG considered the frontrunner.
Rex’s ageing aircraft fleet another threat to regional flights
Relief over the continuation of Rex’s regional services may be short-lived, as the aircraft used for those flights near their use-by date.
Major Australian beverages brand collapses
Staff members were let go on the spot after the company couldn’t prevent a collapse despite making $120 million last year.
Another major IT crash hits Aussies
Just weeks after a major global IT outage caused chaos around the world, a cloud-based accounting software company has gone down.
Inflation news none of us saw coming
Inflation has hit 3.8 per cent for the June quarter, but some economists say that figure has given the Reserve Bank room to keep rates on hold.