Victorians are paying the price for the Allan Labor Government's mismanaged Green Certificate Scheme, which now must be urgently overhauled.
This program and the associated subsidy of appliances has been hopelessly mismanaged by Minister for Energy, Lily D'Ambrosio, with the price of renewable certificates increasing by 57 per cent over the past year.
It is directly adding to household and business energy bills.
The cross-subsidy involved in this scheme means families doing it tough in a cost-of-living crisis are being forced to pick up the cost through inflated electricity bills.
The money torn from struggling Victorian families and businesses is used to subsidise the purchase of new appliances, principally by the better-off. This reverse Robin Hood tax has spiralled upwards over the last two years.
The St Vincent de Paul and Alviss Consulting report, 'Observations from the Vinnies' Tariff-Tracker Project' found in November 2023 that "Victorians have the highest 'Green scheme' costs of $188 for households using 6,000 kWh per annum" while Queensland currently has the lowest.
But with the extraordinary increase in the cost of certificates since then, there will be a surge upwards in what households must pay. These huge costs will eat up a large proportion of the $300 Energy Subsidy Scheme announced by the Federal Government this week.
Shadow Minister for Energy, Affordability and Security, David Davis, said: "The chaos surrounding Labor's Energy Upgrades Program is only worsening with the surging cost of certificates unsustainable. The program must be suspended, reviewed, and overhauled.
"After 10 years of Labor, Victoria's electricity is far more expensive, its gas is more expensive, and supplies are less secure.
"Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our energy system and Victorians are paying the price."
