MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall today announced that a re-elected NSW Government would provide more than $1 billion for energy rebates to ensure greater financial assistance to help Northern Tablelands households meet the cost of electricity and gas.
Under the plan, an additional $110 million will be provided over four years for energy rebates, on top of the $228 million currently provided each year.
Mr Marshall said that this initiative would build on the government’s success in reining in and driving down electricity prices, by further helping households.
If re-elected, from 1 July 2015 the NSW Government will:
- Introduce a $90 Gas Rebate to help 290,000 low income households with the cost of gas, which will increase in value every year indexed to the cost of gas.
- Increase the Life Support Rebate by an average 85% to cover the running cost of electricity for life support equipment for more than 32,000 customers.
- Expand the Life Support Rebate to help an estimated 6000 quadriplegic customers with the cost of powering electric mobility devices.
- Ensure the 75,000 residents in retirement villages, residential communities, and embedded network strata schemes have access to every NSW energy rebate.
“These commitments will see targeted assistance for up to 290,000 gas users around the state, and automatic updates to rebate values each year in line with changes to retail energy prices,” Mr Marshall said.
“Importantly, the NSW Liberals and Nationals are increasing assistance to energy users that have serious health conditions.
“We’re increasing the Life Support Rebate by an average 85% because we believe this rebate should not just assist with the power bills for running life-saving medical equipment, but that it should cover them.
“This will mean some customers will receive up to $1,120 annually to cover the cost of running their life-saving equipment 24 hours a day.
“We’re ensuring that the 6,000 NSW residents who are quadriplegic have the energy costs for powering their electric wheelchairs covered.
“And under our plan, the 75,000 residents of retirement villages, residential communities and embedded network strata schemes have full access to every energy rebate on offer.
“Only a re-elected NSW Government will provide more assistance to a greater number of households.”