Media release - Three years on from Labor's broken $275 promise

MELISSA MCINTOSH MP   
SHADOW MINISTER FOR ENERGY AFFORDABILITY 
SHADOW MINISTER FOR WESTERN SYDNEY 
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR LINDSAY 

3 December 2024  

Three years on from Labor’s broken $275 promise 

Today marks three years since Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen announced every household in Australia would save $275 on their energy bills if Labor was elected in 2022. 

The Default Market Offer released earlier this year confirmed Labor would not meet its 2025 deadline to reduce energy bills by $275 from 2021 prices.  

Australians pay some of the highest prices for energy in the world and this is pushing many families into financial difficulty, with a doubling of those on energy retailer hardship arrangements in NSW.  

Households, small and family businesses and heavy industry have suffered under the renewables-only path this Albanese Labor Government continues to take Australia down.  

Shadow Minister for Energy Affordability, Melissa McIntosh, said the energy and cost of living crises caused by Labor are crippling households and the economy. 

“Western Sydney residents are paying up to $1000 more for their energy than Labor promised. In my community, I’ve heard the number of families lining up at foodbanks has tripled and now charities are paying energy bills for households.  

“Mums and dads need to keep the lights on for kids to do their homework at night, seniors need the air conditioning on to keep cool in the day, and small businesses need to keep appliances running 24/7. Now, we have an additional 560 families on hardship arrangements per week with their energy retailers, as electricity and gas costs have risen 79% and 86% respectively. 

“Chris Bowen is a fellow Western Sydney MP. He should spend more time talking to his community and small businesses about his energy policy failures, rather than being on the world’s stage talking up his renewables plans that are driving up energy prices, and embarrassing our country by rejecting invitations from our most trusted allies to form a civil nuclear industry. 

“We need consistent and reliable 24/7 baseload energy to power our homes and Aussie Made manufacturers. We need nuclear power to stabilise our energy system and more gas supply to bring prices down.”