Sadly, we live in an age where prices are usually on an upward slope rather than being in decline – and the cost of our electricity is no exception.
Queenslanders, you're in for another price rise, as increases are announced for all regulated retail electricity tariffs, except for the main residential tariff.
Of course, the Queensland Competition Authority has offered plenty of reasons as to why these rises have been necessary…and here they are.
Network charges have escalated over recent months – Energex and Ergon Energy, for example, are expected to recover extra revenue from network charges of 15.7 and 11.3 per cent.
Not only this, but there has been a rise in the underlying cost of energy of around 43 per cent, which is largely due to the carbon tax.
For those of you who don't know, the carbon tax is due to come into force on July 1 and has been designed to effectively put a price on carbon.
Companies with excessive emissions will be charged most heavily under the scheme – and the bad news is that when it comes to energy providers, we could end up footing some of the bill.
Posted by Mike Peacock