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NewsHelp us tell the court what electricity consumers really think
Help us tell the court what electricity consumers really think

Help us tell the court what electricity consumers really think

Tags: FiftyUp Club
Last updated by Chris Zinn on

It’s crunch time for the future of your power bills and the difference this time is we can do something about it by collecting together our views.

If you’re fed up, as I believe many of us are, with others deciding what is in our best interests we are in a position as rarely before to let them hear it from the horses’ mouth.

Networks NSW is fighting power price cuts of $106-$313 proposed by the national Energy Regulator, saying they are not in consumers’ long-term interests.

The Australian Competition Tribunal has been hearing opposing arguments, but the court is yet to hear from consumers themselves and this is where you come in.

It’s fair enough for elders to dictate what might be in kid’s best interests, as any parent knows, but surely in FiftyUp we are savvy enough to speak for ourselves and with some authority.

A recent FiftyUp Club survey found some shocking results, with more than half saying they were afraid to run their heater in mid-winter. 

Those results will form part of our submission to the court hearing the legal battle.

But now, there’s one more piece we need to add to the puzzle:

What is in the long-term interests of consumers when it comes to setting power prices? Safety? Affordability? Reliability?

Have regulators got the balance right in recent years?

The court has been debating these questions the past week and we want to ask real consumers what THEY think.

Consumers over the age of fifty represent more than 50% of national household buying power and are heavily affected by power price fluctuations.

Who knows? You might have a different view to the lawyers currently making this decision on our behalf. Only you can tell us the answer to that.

The court must decide the right level of investment in the poles and wires. No one wants to see important assets run down, but all investment is funded through your bills, so it’s important to get the balance right. 

Fill in this short questionnaire and we’ll make sure your voice is heard in the current court battle over power prices.

We will be providing your answers directly to the Judge who will make the final decision. 

But first, we need 1000s of you to have your say:

Click Here to answer 5 key questions for the court

Then continue the conversation in the forum below.

 

Originally posted on .

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Help us tell the court what electricity consumers really think

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Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Keen to know when the deal with Energy Company is next to negotiated on the strength of 100,000 plus members. Lat week with the "power" of only one, I negotiated an 18% discount with my provider directly on one property , and 20% on another where the same provider supplies both Gas and Electricity (not the provider to the first property). 

Mark
Mark from NSW commented:

the electricity suppliers are like spoilt brats! when things don't go their way, they have a big dummy spit and sulk in the corner and threaten people with job losses to get their own way. Its the behaviour of immature people. How about the electricity suppliers cutting the salaries of their CEO's and the like down to a reasonable level, instead of the millions that they pocket now, and cut their expense accounts back. 

margaret
margaret from NSW commented:

My greatest worry is making the price dependent on time of usage, which is like saying you will only be able afford to take a drink of water when you are not thirsty. With many low income Australians living in flats and units the using of household equipment that generates some degree of noise can not be used at 6am or 10.30pm. Shift work, sleeping children ill health and other considerations are not allowed for. This is another example of the reasonably well off making rules for those whose life styles they have no understanding,...nor do they wish to. For example the block of flats in which I exist has a small, extremely dilapidated wooden shed in the backyard where those fortunate to have washing machines, do their washing. There is no lighting. Would our decision makers like to drag their washing out in the dark and run machines that in the still of night really do make a lot of noise, then stumble around in the dark trying to peg out their washing??? Yep. No idea, can't be told because they are willing only to make the gesture of listening but have no intention of recognizing the problems and no desire to work around the problems faced by those less (much less) fortunate than themselves. 

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