Power price rise hurting
Another 10 per cent tariff increase for electricity and gas certainly makes a prosperous new year look a bit of a dream.
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More customers will join the many thousands of Victorians who are being “gouged” by the essential commodities causing extreme hardship to many.
The main reason is the “essential” commodity was privatised by the Kennett government’s obsession that private enterprise is always competitive.
The media, the government, and other financial and welfare bodies advise to shop around for the best deal.
The only deal would be for customers to get a real price reduction, (not via loaded prices and then percentage cuts with “fine print”clauses) coupled with conditions such as accepting an electronic bill, payment on time by direct debit, and often a contract period.
What consumers are paying is excessive increases five times higher than CPI. The Essential Services watchdog/price justifier is now a “toothless tiger” under the spell of all sectors of the utilities.
Electricity and gas were once owned by Victorians, paying the same tariffs regardless of location. This was called cross-subsidy.
The electricity and gas industry was broken up to form generation, transmission, marketing, regional distribution systems, and retailers, mostly foreign owned, run by excessively overpaid management all wanting a bigger and even bigger slice of a pie that was once in the hands of one body the SEC, delivering a reliable service at reasonable prices, had face/face contact with customers and paid a dividend to the state.
As for the future, there isn’t one so long as there is no real control. The word privatisation shows its real meaning.
Privacy is now speaking to a faceless somebody somewhere in the world, who replies from a script, often rude, has no command of English and no real interest in your inquiry.
Good luck to anyone searching for a good deal. When you have one let us all know.
Ross Everitt, Eaglehawk
Lake’s ‘shocking condition’
I have been following the Lake Weeroona issue with much interest.
I and my family walk around the lake most days and have been doing so for the last 14 years.
In that time I have never seen it in as shocking condition as it is now - weed infested with a dirty low water level.
The swan, duck and turtle population has dwindled drastically.
Recently I noticed a duck standing in the water and the water was half way up it’s legs.
Over the years the water level has varied but not for as long as it has now. Sadly the lake is not what is once was.
A full clean lake with an abundance of animal life and an active rowing club creates a wonderful environment in many ways for young and old.
Erika Coulter, Bendigo
No need to import workers
Engineers are being imported at a time when local engineers cannot find work. Engineers Australia, the organisation that purports to represent the profession, encourages the government to continue such a policy. As a former fellow of EA, I find that inexplicable.
Engineers Australia is living in the past.
It fails to recognise that Australia has lost its manufacturing sector. Ford, Holden and Toyota are going home.
The extractive industries have few new projects. Corporations no longer wish to retain their former levels of engineering expertise.
A number of my former colleagues, good graduates with excellent experience, struggle to find even casual work now that the minerals boom is over. Bringing in more engineers, when the Department of Employment itself says there is no shortage, does a disservice to both the local and the imported workers.