OUTRAGEOUS is how one Queensland seniors’ groups has described last month’s announcement of a 13.29 per cent rise in electricity prices. Australian Pensioners and Superannuants’ League Qld policy co-ordinator Raymond Ferguson said his organisation was concerned pensioners would “suffer badly”. He said plans to increase electricity prices from July 1 would only add to the distress people on fixed incomes were already feeling. “People on fixed incomes – pensioners and others – are already paying 10 per cent of their disposable incomes on everyday living costs compared with the other end of the income scale who only pay up to 3 per cent,” he said. “This increase is going to impact far more on pensioners, who will have to cut back in other areas – things they would normally spend money on like food and medicine. “The impact will socially isolate these people.” Mr Ferguson said the league’s office had received many calls from distressed people worried about how they would be able to afford to heat their homes through winter. He said it was clear the current pensioners’ electricity rebate of $195 annually was insufficient. “There is a need for that rebate to be adjusted in the same way as
pensions are adjusted every six months,” Mr Ferguson said. COTA Queensland chief executive Mark Tucker-Evans said the organisation was concerned about the overall increase in all utilities. “These are vital things that people need to feel secure about,” he said. “We will have continuing discussions with government and (Energy Minister) Stephen Robertson about these issues to give certainty to older people that they are not going to spend every winter freezing because the cost of electricity is going up.” However, COTA Qld was pleased with the electricity rebate increase announced in the State budget. National Seniors Australia State Policy Group chair Vera Somerwil agreed that the price increase would affect people “profusely”. “The increase adds an extra $100 a year to an older person’s budget, which is a lot,” she said. Ms Somerwil said while the rebate would ease pressure, it was not enough.
“Take what pensioners are given for the rebate – it is only 50 cents a week,” she said. “We congratulate the government for giving us some increase, but we would have liked to have seen a lot more.”
|
