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Tuesday May 22, 2012

What we're talking about

Power privitisation really cost us

Posted by: Peter Maher | 2 December, 2010 - 5:21 PM
Power bills are expected to soar

RELATED AUDIO:

Peter Maher looks closer at how one might cut costs, but the news isn't very rosy

EDITORIAL: It is a frightful feeling when you have that continued discomfort around your lower back that you are being touched up in some way. Every time I read or hear anything about our providers of energy I start to feel that discomfort.

Two days ago the Big Bear that has come back in from the woods - Ted Baillieu, came out and said he would honor his promise to provide discount electricity to more than 700,000 concession card holding homes. Today on the front page of the Herald Sun news that consumers will be paying up to $150 more their power next year. There goes their concession.

Starting to understand what I am talking about when I say that I feel as if we are being touched up in some way.

Yesterday we talked about Nuclear Power as an alternative to what we have now and one of the questions we posed to Professor Barry Brook was how much more expensive to the consumer is nuclear powered energy. He said no more and in fact it will cost less.

The Minister for Climate Change and energy Efficiency Greg Combet has also come and said that the Federal Government will now be slashing incentive payments for householders who install solar panels on their roofs.

It seems that if you want to challenge the traditional method of energy supply now provided by the private suppliers you are presented with obstacles all the way.

It is not as if these private energy providers are going broke or not capable of attracting high flying executives on even higher flying salaries. The main benefactors out of this continued abuse is you and me the consumer.

Our power bills are increasing at more that 10% per year and let me tell you there are not many punters out there whose wages are increasing by that rate.

I wonder whether privitisation was really the best thing after all.

Brumby spinning to the end?

John Brumby's farewell speech given almighty whack BLOG: "It did do those things, but on a more critical analysis it was a speech that represented the very essence of what Victorians disliked most about the Brumby Government – SPIN."

Blog comments Your Say

  • Taxation without representation.

    Norman, Chadstone Friday 3 December, 2010 - 11:43 PM

  • The Brumby Government said in 2007 power bills will go up'to power a very Big desalination plant. Stop the SPIN!!!

    col Friday 3 December, 2010 - 10:07 PM

  • We, under Jeff Kennett, sold the house to pay the mortgage and then complain about the landlord raising the rent. Stoopid stoopid people get EXACTLY what they deserve.

    Mylene Friday 3 December, 2010 - 8:07 PM

  • Around mid '70's, the government of the day signed a 30 year coal supply contract, as a direct result of the energy crisis. That contract expired & coal providers had NO hope of getting it renewed, until the Libs arrived on the scene~! How does that song go? O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,... etc and then that verse... O come, let us adore him.... Interesting~! Or should I say - Merry Xmas for some~! :p

    Lenny Friday 3 December, 2010 - 4:58 PM

  • A perfect storm , the greed and corporate corruption of privatisation and the madness of green policies.

    Mark Friday 3 December, 2010 - 4:21 PM

  • If I was a betting man, I would suggest that the government signed a 30 year coal supply contract around the mid '70's, during the energy crisis, which ran out about 5 years ago. They had NO hope of getting it renewed, until the Libs arrived on the scene~! Interesting~! :)

    Lenny Friday 3 December, 2010 - 4:06 PM

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