We welcome the intent of the Cheaper Power (Supplementary Appropriation) Bill 2024 to provide cost-of-living relief on household budgets (including mortgage repayments, rent, groceries and fuel) through a $1,000 credit on energy bills.

QCOSS’ recent budget submission to “Reduce the cost-of-living” called for the Queensland Government to provide ongoing bill relief and to commit to continuing the electricity bill rebate to vulnerable Queensland households while electricity costs remain high.

This position was developed with QCOSS as a member of the Power Together Alliance which seeks to ensure that no Queenslander is left behind in the energy transformation towards a cleaner energy future. Our response to the Bill seeks to qualify our support with an equity lens.

Low-income households are currently more likely to experience energy vulnerability and disadvantage. Low-income households spend double the amount of their disposable income on energy than middle-income households. This is partly attributed to Queensland renters being more likely to live in homes with poor energy efficiency.