Respond to rising energy prices

NSW State Election 2023 - NCOSS Policy Priority 1

More and more people living in NSW are waking up each morning and wondering how they will afford to feed their families, pay the bills, and just get by. Energy costs consume a sizable portion of the disposable income of low income households.

NCOSS recommendations

NCOSS calls on the next NSW Parliament to -

Permanently increase the cap on Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) vouchers to $1,600 per year.
Streamline the process to apply for an EAPA voucher.
Ramp up promotion of EAPA vouchers in low-socio economic areas and amongst other vulnerable cohorts.
Make the Low Income Household Rebate a fixed percentage of a person’s energy bill, instead of a flat rate

Coalition- NSW Liberal Party and NSW Nationals

Have committed to -

New South Wales residents receiving a $250 rebate for comparing energy providers and plans. Households would be able to access the one-off cost-of-living payment by comparing energy plans using a tool on the Service NSW website. The measure will be rolled out from 1 July to 31 December if the Coalition- NSW Liberal party wins the election and will apply to everyone, including those already on a rebate.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/05/nsw-liberals-vow-to-help-households-take-250-off-electricity-bills-if-re-elected

The Greens NSW

Have committed to -

All government housing developments constructed in accordance with ecologically sustainable development principles and be climate positive and climate ready.
https://greens.org.au/nsw/actionplantoendhomelessness
Introduce requirements to ensure low-income earners and renters can access energy efficiency measures in their homes.
https://greens.org.au/nsw/loweringthecostofliving

NSW Labor

No significant announcements identified.

Published February 2023. For reference and context, please visit NCOSS Policy Tracker 2023 and NCOSS Policy Platform 2023: Working Together for a Fairer NSW.

Queries about this page to: advocacy@ncoss.org.au