News

News$700k worth of savings tips from the government
$700k worth of savings tips from the government

$700k worth of savings tips from the government

Tags: Energy Information
Last updated by Someone on

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you would have noticed all the talk about energy prices. If you have been off the grid (pun intended), there’s no hiding from your energy bill, which will find you eventually. 

And so will the Federal Government’s latest $700,000 ad campaign!

Launched this month, the Powering Forward Campaign reportedly cost tax-payers $300,000 for 60 seconds of airtime during the AFL & NRL Grand Finals, and as much as $700,000 in fees to a Melbourne ad agency.

There's some useful information buried in there, but it's hidden behind propaganda pushing the government's energy policy credentials.

What do you think of the campaign?

Our take? The website contains some useful info for people wanting to save on power bills, for example it links to the Energy Made Easy comparison site and the Victorian Switchon site to compare offers.

It also contains energy efficiency tips for households, which can be handy.

But all that useful stuff is buried behind the silly “powering forward” slogan and some bumph about the Government’s Snowy Hydro 2.0 and gas reservation policies.

They’re important, but we’d like to see the moneysaving info up front and centre!

Here’s something else you can do to save.

A couple of months back, the Fiftyup Club started our Power-Up Campaign,  which now boasts a staggering 50,000 registrations nationally That tells us that you do want to do something about energy prices even if it’s just to send a message to power companies that enough is enough.

While Australia may rank second in the world for quality-of-life, we rate first in the world for the highest energy prices. Data from the Carbon + Energy Markets' MarkIntell service says we’re ahead of Germany, Denmark and Italy with 4 Australian states in the top ten (click here to see the list).

This despite Australia having every energy resource available in the world including coal, wind, solar, nuclear and sea-water hydro power.

What can you do? It’s as easy as picking up the phone, calling your energy retailer and asking for a better deal. Don’t take no for an answer. The energy market has never been so competitive and you can get results, with many members reporting savings in the hundreds of dollars.

Click here to see the latest Fiftyup Club energy offers, extended for a limited time only


 

 

Originally posted on .

Join the conversation

FiftyUp Club
Fiftyup Club

Join the Conversation with other members below on the FiftyUp Club Forum. Join an existing conversation, or start your own. 

Conversation is closed.
Read our moderation policy here.
Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

We all need to exercise our brain matter before selling anything we own. If there is a profit - sell. If not - stay put. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

I have children and several grandchildren. Profits from property sales are always taxed accordingly. We must all be sensible, at any age and stage of life. Happy Australia Day! 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

One's own home sould NEVER be included as an asset, but once sold, then the profits should be, of course! I reckon people SHOULD down-size their family home. Who wants to look after a big family home if there are only one or two possibly elderly people living there?!?! Someone has to do the sometimes difficult house and yard work. It makes NO sense. I say, sell up, down-size and be comfortable in a smaller home with lots of lovely cash in the bank! Let another younger and growing family have the fortune of a larger family home. Gosh, this just makes sense - common sense. HavachatAnnie 

Catherine
Catherine from NSW commented:

this is a good idea except for all the taxes and fees you occur are excesive and thre is no spare cash left. its not worth downsizing for 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Really? Tax our houses when they are sold? Who would sell their houses then? Maybe you don't have grand children or children who like to or need to stay from time to time but most of us do. Maybe you have no setimental attachment to your home so lets all "downsize" and kick the "elderly people living there?!?!" out! Doesn't make much sense to me. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

As a NZer having resided in Australia for nearly 50 years with an Australian wife, kids ,and grand kids I have never been able to comprehend why Aussies accept the Assests test (Liberal Gov) and the Income test (Labor Gov) for the Aged Pension. In New Zealand there are no tests for the aged pension and everyone receives the FULL pension at 65 years even if they are still working. If they continue to work after 65 the pension is taxed along with their income which is fair and reasonable. There are no endless forms to fill in and income to be declared and there is no resentment from the people who don't get the pension as we have here. I have a twin sister in New Zealand who has received over $350,000 in pension payments to date and in that time frame I have received nothing, not a cent in Australia. My crime was I saved a little superannuation and my good wife continues to work part time even though she is well over pension age. I am still eligable for the NZ pension if I returned to NZ and my Australian born wife would also qualify even though she has never resided there. Isn't it time for a change? 

Marlene
Marlene from QLD commented:

Think I will move to NZ 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Pat from NSW You want to cut spending . This is my list - no entitlements [ life time salaries ,cars , offices,employees , allowances , travel this is crazy !!!!! ] for ex - PM's or ministers they should get what everyone gets.Cut Foreign Aid by half or more.No $200 for Marriage Counselling [what an insult ] . No paid Parental Leave ,no Long Service .No Government Subsides to business that continually fail. Higher taxes for big foreign business especially Coal Seam Gas. Family Reunions -No government assistance . Families who want their relatives to come to Australia should have to prove they can support them for at least 5 years. Unions should pay taxes !!!!!!! Fix the Electoral system why is the tax payer paying for these minority parties who represent such a small part of the community but have such a hugh influence on policy making e.g. why is the tax payer subsidising wind and solar energy [Carbon tax , Greens blackmail policy ],why is our gas being sold overseas for less than we pay for it. Why are we importing food from overseas at the expenses of OUR Farmers and manufacturers [ what's left]. Leave the FAMILY HOME ALONE PLEASES there is much you could do if you just showed some strength and leadership !!!! In 2014 let's make EVERY DAY AUSTRALIA DAY - PUT AUSTRALIA FIRST the rest of the world can look after it's self !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Brad
Brad from NSW commented:

Let's start by means testing Politician's super! Brad NSW 

Catherine
Catherine from NSW replied to Brad:

this is a good idea especially the corrupt ones like eddie obeid, craig thompson etc 

Alain
Alain from NSW commented:

TAX EBAY, GOOGLE, APPLE, ETC... NOT OUR RETIREES !!! OUR GOVERNMENTS GOVERN FOR THE RICH, NOT THE 99% OF US !!! 

Warren
Warren from NSW commented:

I was going to put in my opinion, but I read John's post below and that says it all!!!!!!!!! 

Neroli
Neroli from NSW commented:

Definitely the home should not be included as an asset. I'm on a disability pension and struggling to meet my bills but I've inherited the family home which provides a roof over my head, if this was asset tested my pension would be drastically reduced if not cut off altogether. 

john
john from NSW commented:

RUBBISH Google, EBay and Apple made $Billions in Oz - paid next to no tax. The rich have their trusts and children earning tax free income - yes 5 year olds making $30K a year !! Big business using arms length overseas subsiduaris falsifying their transfer pricing thus allowing their business in Austrlia to make "no profit" as overseas supply costs=local revenus = no tax. Public servants on Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme -biggest con on Australian public ever with little darlings who worked in Canberra for decades, never had their job under threat, no commercial pressures, retiring at 55 on pensions of anythng up to $130,000 a year depending on their last pay grade. Tax free, indexed for life to inflation. Then many came back to work in thier old job as "Consultants". I also heard when they die their wifes receive half that pension again until she dies. AND YOUR AFTER PENSIONERS IN THEIR OWN HOMES - shame on you scum. I am sick to death of being a middle class non public service worker being screwed by big business and the socilaist union non- achieveing public service ! There you go I just slammed Labour, Liberal, Socilaists - so no this is not a political post either. If either of them did their jobs with ability and integrity we would not be reading this very post !! 

alan
alan from NSW replied to john:

we are the Living Dead Working Poor low to middle income paid our bills no kids left at home Gov gives us nothing & no incentives 

Anne
Anne from QLD replied to john:

John, I am a Public Servant and I can assure you that I will not be rearing on a pension anything like what you imagine, stop believing biased Media reports. I work over 55 hours a week but cannot get overtime and there is no opportunity to take accumulated flex time. The majority of Public Servants (admittedly outside Canberra) are not paid huge salaries and have had to endure huge staff cuts for the past several years. Our elected servants pay themselves huge pay raises every three months and have extremely generous superannuations but still have their hands out for the age pension, go figure. I pay tax, have private health insurance, am paying off my home but when I retire I will have to sell because what I get for superannuation (currently $1800 a year) will not cover my repayments. Stop believing biased and self interested media and politicians who, reminiscent of some dictators several decades ago, will pick on one group to demonise to distract the gullible from their own snouts gobbling up what they can get their hands on 

john
john from NSW replied to Anne:

Hi Anne, no doubt regional is tougher than head office. But the CES is a massive drain and if it was any good, then it would not have been scrapped. To many on the gavy train from the mindless idiocy of 20,30,40 years ago. Either way, Australia can't support a federal governent, several states and territories plus hudreds of councils to suport 22 million people. My observation in 30 years of work across many industries is there is an enormous amount of activity occurring but not so much is productive. Good example is why the enormous amount of workers in australia both public and private behind keyboards all day. Doing exactly what, producing exactly what ? I say this with authority being in the idustry and having a MAsters in this area of technology and business. We need to seriously get people out of "poking and scrapping" those PCs all day and out making things again. Otherwsie Greece Mark 2 for Australia is around the corner. 

Comment Guidelines