Petition on power prices

The State Liberal candidate for Gosford, Cr Chris Holstein, has launched a petition calling on Premier Ms Kristina Keneally to act on power prices.

According to Cr Holstein, NSW Labor has received $13.8 billion in dividends from the retailers and failed to return this by upgrading the energy infrastructure.

"It was stated that 130,000 people in NSW cannot afford to pay their power bills already," said Cr Holstein.

However, Member for Gosford Ms Marie Andrews has rejected the claim, stating that the Liberal-National Coalition did not oppose the bill that made the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal the regulator of electricity prices.

"The Liberal Party hopes that voters have forgotten this important fact," said Ms Andrews.

"The Australian Energy Market Operator chairman Tom Parry and Industry and Investment NSW deputy director-general Mark Duffy are conducting an inquiry into electricity pricing and are expected to report back by the end of the year," said Ms Andrews

Ms Andrews said that the NSW Government was looking at ways to cut the cost of rising electricity bills through the reduction or deferring of network charges.

Media release, 16 Nov 2010, Cr Chris Holstein Media statement, 18 Nov 2010 Suzanne King, Marie Andrews' Office