It is clear Tasmanians need more help with skyrocketing electricity costs in a cost-of-living crisis.
Lesley Field lives with a rare autoimmune disease and receives chemotherapy which leaves her feeling cold and ill a lot of the time.
Despite her needs, Lesley has not been able to afford to turn on her heat pump over winter because she can’t afford to pay any more for power in a cost-of-living crisis.
Instead, she goes to bed by 6.30pm to keep warm under the blankets.
While you’d think the warmer months would offer Lesley a welcome reprieve, she says she is also dreading summer because it is more difficult to keep cool.
Lesley has taken some comfort in the fact she won’t have to go to bed until it cools – which is a sad reflection on the impact rising power prices are having on her life.
Tasmania’s 100-year investment in the Hydro to make our own clean, renewable power should be helping keep prices low, but after 10 years of a Liberal government we’re seeing prices higher than ever.
A Labor Government would cap power price increases at 2.5 per cent a year for Tasmanian households and small businesses so that Tasmanians truly pay a Tasmanian price for Tasmanian power. We would legislate to achieve that within 100 days of taking office.
If this policy had been in place since June last year it would have already saved the average household $500.
Rebecca White MP
Tasmanian Labor Leader
