Help us tell the court what electricity consumers really think

ONLY IN AUSTRALIA will we elect a government who allows for an open cut mine to be dug right in the heart of Australia's food bowl (when we all know that by 2040, FOOD will be the 'object' of concern to all the world countries...) , in the middle of the Liverpool Plains, soon affecting the Murray darling water and any water really beneath that mine! We are a silly lot, aren't we? And as if common sense was not enough (where is 'common sense' gone under the coalition???) Baird said this morning that only SCIENCE will tell if the idea of this mine is good or bad !!! YOU D H ! 

"controlled by the thieves in power" writes justly Kenneth... Something Hunt nor Abbott won't advertise when they'll go to Paris later this year: Australian taxpayers subsidise fossil fuel-friendly tax breaks for big polluters. There are better ways to spend our taxes than handouts to the companies with devastating environmental records who actively lobby our leaders to stifle action on climate change. G20 governments of the world first commited to phase out fossil fuel subsidies in September 2009, recognising that “fossil fuel subsidies encourage wasteful consumption, distrort markets, impede investment in clean energy sources and undermine efforts to deal with climate change”. But since Australia made that commitment, it has continued to deny that we, as a nation, subsidise fossil fuels. ACF has been monitoring what first began as it’s ‘dirty dozen’ fossil fuel subsidies for years, highlighting a long list of over $7 billion in fossil fuel subsidies. The biggest of these are the diesel fuel handouts to the miners – called the fuel tax credits scheme. This is a tax payer handout to big miners worth $2 billion per year. This equates to $182 per taxpayer every year, and worth a staggering $9.4 billion over the next four years to some of the most profitable companies operating in this country. This is a much greater cost than the carbon price will have on households. These wasteful, inefficient handouts will continue to promote fossil fuel use at a staggering rate of $4,480 of taxpayer dollars per minute, day in, day out. The politically powerful mining lobby has got its way in Australian public policy at last year’s may Federal Budget – again. While the rest of us pay 38c a litre in taxes at the bowser, these companies are mining the public purse and in the process they are making climate change worse. .../... 

We are being controlled by the thieves in power, selling off our assets (government) to feather their own nests at the expense of all Australians (new and old). There should be a national enquiry controlled by the public into all the affairs of our politicians, and disclose where the money flow takes us.. which will definitely expose the culprits.. The Anzacs fought for this country , only for the politicians to steal every conceivable profitable assets that belongs to the citizens of Australia.. I think they call it embezzlement or more aptly put.. TREASON 

Australia can be a global solar and wind superpower, and the CEFC is the key: And that is where the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation – again under fire by the Abbott government – is absolutely crucial. Despite what the government has been saying, the role of the CEFC has never been to back emerging or even "mature" renewable energy technologies. That role belongs to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency – which the government would also like to abolish if it could get the numbers in the Senate. We have a totally obnoxious PM surrounded by 'as obnoxious' ministers and they are taking us back in time with no vision what so ever for Australia. 

One thing that does surprise me is the rooms in which people choose to spend their evenings and day time leisure time. The larger and sparser the room the more heating required, and the more they pay. My neighbours flat is identical to mine. her elec. bill is unbelievably enormous. Now I have my small TV in my own tiny bedroom as I do not consider the sitting room as the place for TVs. It does require running a cable some distance however it is worth it. I also have a craft desk in the room so I can earn a few dollars whilst keeping warm. The room has little space left to heat. If there is only one or two of you, even though you might want a larger TV in a lounging area, TV are so cheap and portable at this time you could save the cost of second basic TV from the savings on one winters elec bill. I can say I could have purchased two basic TVs with the DIFFERENCE between my bill and my neighbours bill, with little inconvenience. 

I am wondering why the politicians in QLD r not answering the request to investigate what Beaty did with all the dividends from electricity and water, that should have been kept for capital works. Why do current rates have to provide capital works; it should come from the new users; why do we need all these middle men to earn profits; Utilities should be provided at cost by the state and not at a profit; I also support a higher feed in rate for the solar users and the comment about the increasing supply fee to compensate the lesser income due to solar installers - we should not be discouraged 

I'm tired physically and mentally by the worry of my electricity, gas and water bills! Electricity and gas in particular. We don't turn on lights or heating until we have to. It's got to the point that my outgoings are starting to exceed my incoming income!! 

I feel that the daily rate of $1.31 to just "Supply" the electricity to my home should be reduced. At the moment this fee accounts for approximately 47-50% of my quarterly bill. So if I'm able to reduce my actual power usage (even to the point where I don't use any over a three month period ) it would still cost me $117.90 (ie. 90days @ $1.31) for nothing. Also, I feel that we should be getting a larger return for any electricity that we produce via our solar systems that we put back into the grid. After all we have installed the systems at our own cost and have to meet all maintenance costs ourselves Electricity Producers should be paying us the same rate for our solar power into the grid as what we pay for when we use power that they supply. 

I have also competed the survey BUT have 2 questions; 1. If the electricity suppliers can GIVE one person 15 to 20 % discount WHY doesn't the money hungry government ( ALL ) call them all in and say, (get your act together OR their WILL be regulations back). 2. Why the government of the day cannot HELP with the installing of solar bewilders me. YES I hear you why.? Ok drop the feed in tariff and and allow people with solar already installed have their metres run in reverse thus getting at least the cost of the day during compatible weather. I believe this would go very close to being cost neutral. Rod F nsw 

I have completed the Survey - good luck with reducing the high electricity costs.