Energy Matters Forums

[Bundaburra]

Not really on topic, but related to the later posts about electricity pricing:

In Victoria, probably in other States as well, there is a three tier system: the generators, the distributors, and the retailers. At each level there are private companies seeking to make profits for their shareholders, so the price you pay for electricity has three levels of profit built in, besides the actual cost of the power. In the old days we had the SEC, which did the lot, and being a Government instrumentality it was not required to make that much of a profit. In the 1990s the SEC was sold off to sectionalised private interests, and while you might understand why that was done at the time, it was short term gain for long term pain.

Another aspect not often mentioned is that as the price of electricity rises, so does the amount of GST going to the Government.

[zzsstt]

Another aspect not often mentioned is that as the price of electricity rises, so does the amount of GST going to the Government.

True, but the same applies for almost everything, and everything else is increasing in price by a couple of percent or so each year, whilst electricity has seen 10% - 28% increases almost every year for the last few years and has doubled in price in 5 years.

I don't really think that the increase in the government's GST collection has anything to do with the price increase, other than as a side effect. Privatisation, on the other hand, is almost 100% to blame.....