Serious cost of living relief urged

The Australian Energy Regulator has moved to increase the price cap, which could see customers facing an increase on their energy bills of up to 18.3 per cent for households and up to 19.7 per cent for small businesses – meaning residential customers could pay up to $369 more each year and small businesses could pay $1,130 more.
Mr Dib says the people of NSW face the highest taxes of any state or territory, with skyrocketing cost of living pressures, record tolls and the worst housing affordability in the nation.
“With the budget coming up in less than a month, Dominic Perrottet must immediately look at measures to provide serious and immediate cost of living relief to the people of NSW, rather than letting every single bill paid by households and businesses go up by record levels,” Mr Dib said.
“Every day, we are hearing more and more stories of cost of living pressures that have surged under this Government, every possible measure needs to be explored to help families and businesses doing it tough.
“The Government needs to ensure it is doing everything it can to help NSW with massive cost of living pressures as a result of this Government’s actions.”
NSW Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean said households experiencing difficulty paying their energy bills, can access up to $1,600 a year in help – at service.nsw.gov.au.
To help ease the financial burden on pensioners and at the request of Cr Bilal El-Hayek, Canterbury Bankstown Council will write to the NSW Local Government Minster Wendy Tuckerman to immediately increase the $250 rates rebate offered to pensioners – which “has not increased one cent in the last 30 years”.
Cr El-Hayek said it’s shameful that the IPART Review of the Local Government Rating System, which recognised the need to review assistance for pensioners, was swept under the carpet and no action was taken.
“It is clear that pensioners need assistance in paying their bills,” he said.