Families ‘to save $120 a year'

Member for Bundaberg Jack Dempsey, Shadow Minister for Energy and Water Utilities Steve Dickson and LNP candidate for Burnett Stephen Bennett outside the Walla St substation.

Mike Knott

THE LNP is pledging to halt the constant rise of living costs by announcing a plan to freeze increases to the household electrical Tariff 11 should it win government.

The announcement came from Shadow Minister for Energy and Water Utilities Steve Dickson, who was in Bundaberg yesterday to deliver the new policy, which is expected to save families about $120 per year.

"People are doing it so tough these days, particularly families in Burnett and Bundaberg," Mr Dickson said.

"The cost of living is killing Queenslanders every day of the week."

Tariff 11 is the electricity tariff for general domestic usage and is used for all light and power consumed in households.

It gives a continuous supply of electricity day and night to all appliances including televisions, washing machines, toasters and fans.

Should the LNP win government, the halt on the Tariff 11 increase would continue for the duration of the first term of three years.

Mr Dickson said electricity prices had increased about 65% in the past two years and the move to freeze the tariff increase would give families extra money to put towards their budgets.

"We have to get into government to make it happen," he said.

"It would be implemented immediately in our first term and, if it doesn't, I won't be the minister for very long."

Mr Dickson said there were families in Queensland who could not afford to run heaters in winter or other household appliances because of the constant rise in electricity prices.

"These are the people it's going to help," he said.

"Electricity saving is going to be right across the board.

"It's one of the many policies we have - that's just getting warmed up."

LNP Candidate for Burnett Stephen Bennett said the commitment to freeze the tariff increase would be felt the most by Bundaberg and Burnett mums and dads.

"We are committed, if elected, to give Queenslanders a break on spiralling electricity costs," he said.

"We're putting the brakes on the increasing cost of living."

Queensland will go to the polls on March 24.