What the f#*k is the matter with this bloody state government? State Energy Minister Koutsantonis was saying last week that electricity prices had come down in the last 12 months. Funny about that. See what Martin Hamilton-Smith had to say - cut and pasted from Liberal headquarters. Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis publicly embarrassed himself on radio yesterday morning, misrepresenting his own ministerial report into energy costs released last week. On ABC 891 radio yesterday, Minister Koutsantonis falsely claimed that power bills had declined over the past twelve months: Matt Abraham: Oh, so our power price has gone down? Koutsantonis: They have, yes. Matt Abraham: In South Australia? Koutsantonis: Absolutely. Matt Abraham: In the last 10 years? Koutsantonis: In the last 12 months This is despite receiving an independent Ministerial Pricing Report from the Essential Services Commission last Friday that indicated average household bills have increased substantially in the past 12 months. “The ministerial report indicates that market offer prices have gone up 18.7 per cent and standing contract prices have increased 2.2 per cent in the last 12 months,” said Shadow Minister for Energy Martin Hamilton-Smith. “Minister Koutsantonis also claimed, “On average since deregulation power prices have dropped for the standard customer of about 5,000 kilowatt hours from about $1,985 down to about $1,500”. “This is despite his Ministerial Pricing Report indicating that the average standing offer price as of 16 August was$2,029 – a $529 discrepancy! “Where is the Minister finding these prices? Certainly not in his own report! “It is obvious that the Minister has either failed to read his own report or is wilfully misleading the public on the true cost of power bills in South Australia. “Minister Koutsantonis must either apologise for making such grievous errors or Premier Weatherill must censure his minister for plainly misleading the public. “The simplest way to reduce power bill pressure is to elect a Federal Coalition Government this Saturday to scrap the carbon tax once and for all,” said Mr Hamilton-Smith
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 07:10:42 +0000
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