Media Releases

State Member for Shepparton, Jeanette Powell said today the Baillieu Government is delivering on its election commitment to introduce year-round concessions on electricity bills early with the discount now beginning on 1 March.

Mrs Powell said members of the community who hold pensioner concession cards, health care cards or Veterans’ gold cards will now be eligible for a 17.5% discount on their electricity bills all year.

“This effectively doubles the concessions that were available under the Brumby Labor
Government, and will provide much-needed financial assistance for members of our community on low incomes, through the hot summer months as well as during winter,” Mrs Powell said.

“The Baillieu Government is delivering its election promises and this assistance for members of our community who need it most, is being delivered early.

“This initiative will be a big help to members of our community who have been struggling to make ends meet as the basic costs of living such electricity have been increasing.”

A concession card holder currently paying an electricity bill of $1,500 per year would save $262 each year from the concession and there will be an extra saving of $44 from the Coalition’s election commitment applying from 1 March.

More than 815,000 Victorians such as aged pensioners, veterans, sole parents, people with disabilities and carers, will benefit from the year-round reduction of 17.5 per cent on their electricity bills.

Eligible concession card holders will receive the concessions through a discount on their electricity bill.

The timing for eligible Victorians first receiving the new discount on their electricity bill will depend on the billing cycles of individual electricity retailers. If a retailer cannot adjust its billing system to include the concession from 1 March in a customer’s next due bill, the discount will be backdated and included in the earliest possible bill after that.

The Coalition committed $351.4 million over four years to deliver the year-round electricity concession. An additional $22 million will be allocated to make the concession available from 1 March 2011.