Qld homes receive nation's biggest energy bill support
Queensland households will receive the most significant energy bill support in Australia after a state government cash splash on cost of living relief.
Premier Steven Miles announced homes will receive a $1000 rebate under a $2.5 billion scheme as rising power prices bear down on Queenslanders.
“The bills just keep going up and I’ve been determined to make sure the Queensland government does absolutely everything we can to ease the pressure,” he told reporters on Thursday.
It marks the largest power price relief delivered by a state government in Australia with most other jurisdictions providing between $250 and $500 in energy relief.
“These are the biggest power bill savings Australia has ever seen,” Deputy Premier Cameron Dick said.
Other states and territories may yet see further power bill relief when the federal budget is handed down next week with the prime minister flagging more cost of living measures are on the way.
The Miles government’s scheme has already garnered support from Queensland’s Council of Social Services who say it is a welcome initiative to ease pressure on residents’ wallets.
“As we head into winter, it will make a practical, positive impact for people struggling to pay their food, electricity and rent bills,” CEO Aimee McVeigh said.
The latest cash injection comes as comparison site Canstar said Queensland paid the lowest bills on the east coast – about 10 per cent less than NSW – thanks to last year’s rebate relief.
The opposition supports energy and cost of living relief for Queenslanders but accused the government of cherry-picking data.
“Do we need to provide Queenslanders with cost of living relief? Absolutely we do,” opposition energy spokeswoman Deb Frecklington told parliament.
She claimed Queensland is paying the highest power prices in the country and Canstar’s data shows just one quarter instead of the increase over time.
Deb Frecklington claims Queensland is paying the highest power prices in the country. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)
The rebate will apply to bills from July and many Queenslanders won’t pay a single cent until 2025, Mr Miles touted.
It will be delivered in a lump sum as a credit to carry over to electricity bills.
Seniors and concession card holders will receive a bit more support with a $1372 rebate and small businesses will continue scoring $325.
A special appropriation bill was introduced on Thursday with the government requesting the committee review it within a fortnight.
Mr Dick said a rise in royalties would cover the $2.5 billion package’s funding, rather than borrowing from the state’s coffers.
“We have had a significant increase in price in the first part of the financial year. That’s where the money is,” he said.
Coal royalties were forecast to boost state revenue by $9.4 billion over five years post-pandemic but since being adopted in 2022, more than $5.8 billion has been contributed to the economy.