The Albanese Government will be held to account if small and family businesses face the threat of closure because Labor fails to deliver on its promise to cut power bills.
The warning came as Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien visited a local grocer in the Queensland town of Mapleton whose power bills are set to increase by up to $160,000 a year.
“Only last month Labor was promising to cut to power bills and now they’re in office, the Australian people expect nothing less than delivery on this promise,” said Mr O’Brien.
Owned and operated by Lewis and Linda Anderson, the Mapleton IGA is the only grocery store servicing the hinterland town of 1,600 residents.
“This will cripple my business and is completely unsustainable,” Mr Anderson said.
“We are desperately looking for a way to quickly offset our electricity costs going forward because the alternative is to shut up shop for good.”
Energy provider, AGL, reportedly blamed the soaring price rise on the war in Ukraine.
“A global energy crisis has hit our shores and it is up to the government of the day to manage the domestic fall out,” said Mr O’Brien.
“As a Coalition, we were previously managing these pressures and we were still able cut the average power bill for small businesses by 10% over the last two years alone.
“Labor came to office promising even further cuts, but it looks like prices are now going in the other direction.
“Thousands of small businesses will be put at risk unless the Albanese Labor Government starts taking steps to deliver on its promise to cut power prices.”