Daylight robbery

So, government owned electricity companies deliver an increase to government profits over the past year of 50%, equating to $500 million, and its promoters would have us believe that they are suffering from a "loss of revenue". Hello?

This report is, of course, nothing more than a cynical puff, designed as a piece of propaganda to serve the greedy interests of the electricity providers and their political enablers.

However, even were we to ignore that fact, if the outrageous AEMC report recommendations were adopted, it would represent an astonishing act of wanton economic vandalism.

If the AEMC proposals were to be adopted, the value of the investment made by more than 2.5 million Australians in solar energy generation would be wiped-out instantly. In addition, the solar power installation industry, a billion dollar business that employs nearly 7,000 Australians and enjoys an annual growth rate in excess of 100%, would disappear overnight.

That AEMC can publish the nonsense contained in its latest report without being challenged by the mainstream media or politicians genuinely interested in supporting the creation of an economic and environmentally sustainable energy sector to secure the future of our nation, says everything about how our governments have fallen under the sway of corporate Australia or indeed, even actively seek to support and promote its interests ahead of the interests of its citizens.

But it seems that the greed of the electricity sector knows no bounds, as would seem evident by the fact that NSW consumers who have invested in solar generation are being paid a paltry $0.06 per Kwh for excess power that they generate and put back into he grid, whilst the electricity providers on-sell that surplus power to other consumers for upwards of $0.35 per Kwh … only a marker-up of almost 500%!!

Elsewhere, the federal Treasurer & the Chair of the ACCC both repeatedly reassured Australians that the abolition of the carbon tax will mean that energy providers will pass back the tax savings to consumers, industry representatives have been busy suggesting that any such savings will be consumed by "other increases in costs" that have come along in the meantime. How convenient is that?

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Meanwhile, the NSW government is said to be seriously considering removing all price controls from electricity and gas markets, allegedly due to the existence of a highly competitive energy market in this state.

That the NSW government would advocate such a policy, when the dullest economics student in the class understands that excessive levels of profitability reflect the existence of very low levels of market competition, is clear evidence of the arrogant contempt it has for the people of NSW.

Given the history of deliberate economic abuse perpetrated on the citizens of NSW by the energy sector in recent years, aided and abetted by the residents of Macquarie Street, I would argue that successive state governments have deliberately acted to betray the trust of the citizens of this state through their unbridled greed.

It is clear that the government controlled energy sector in NSW, along with state politicians of all colours, are guilty of wilfully, cynically & deliberately abusing NSW energy consumers … and that they continue to do so.

In the circumstances, it is surely high time that the people of NSW stood-up and put an end to the organised abuse that masquerades as "government" in NSW?