New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet has promised to help ease gas and power bill pain with a cash sugar hit if the NSW Liberal Party and Nationals are re-elected. While there will be a hoop to jump through, it shouldn’t be a biggie and could save households even more.
NSW voters go to the polls on Saturday, 25 March 2023. Among hot-button issues are energy prices, with many households (and businesses) buckling under the additional strain of hefty gas and electricity bills. But a bit of relief could be on the horizon.
On Sunday, Premier Perrottet announced the NSW Energy Bill Saver program, which will give households $250 to go towards their energy expenses. The catch – aside from the re-election bit1 – is households will need to access ServiceNSW to compare retailer offers. But this doesn’t mean switching retailers is necessary to get the cash. They’ll just need to run through the comparison process.
“We know households are feeling the pinch right now and that’s why we will provide immediate bill relief as well as help families get a better energy deal,” said the Premier. “This is $250 in short-term energy savings whilst at the same time ensuring NSW households can slash their bills into the future.”
A similar initiative called the Power Saving Bonus is running in Victoria. That program has reportedly helped more than a million Victorians find a better deal on their energy plans. The proportion who have actually made a switch isn’t clear.
While the NSW Energy Bill Saver program will only provide short term relief if households choose not to switch, it’s relief that should be worth the amount of effort involved. But it’s hoped – as with the Victorian program – if households spot a better deal they’ll take the extra step; and that the program will also increase competition between retailers.
A re-elected Perrottet government will throw $500 million at NSW Energy Bill Saver, so it’s expecting up to 2 million households will take advantage of the program. That would work out to close to two-thirds of households in New South Wales.
Why Wait? Compare Energy Retailers Now
The NSW Government is encouraging households to shop around for a better deal right now. Households will still be eligible for the $250 if/when NSW Energy Bill Saver kicks off on July 12. The Perrottet Government recommends the Australian Government’s Energy Made Easy website in the interim, but here on SolarQuotes we also have a nifty electricity plan comparison tool geared toward solar owners.
And on that note, NSW households sick of sky-high electricity bills should also consider installing solar panels as simple payback can be quite rapid. For example, the SolarQuotes solar and battery calculator with its default settings indicates a 6.6kW system installed in Sydney could achieve payback in around 6 years. But by maximising solar energy self-consumption, payback can be even shorter.
About Michael Bloch
RSS - Posts
Speak Your Mind