Struggling households in three states are being denied energy bill relief because of a bureaucratic delay.
Customers in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia who expected to receive a $75 discount on their energy bills from July 1 were stunned to see it not happen and have been writing to complaint hotlines en masse.
Energy giant Origin Energy was forced to state on its website that there had been a “delay in the refund of rebates to customers in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia”.
The Herald Sun reports that the three states have been slow to sign a legal document authorizing retailers to give the discount.
The Australian Energy Council told the newspaper that “retailers stand ready to make energy bill relief payments as soon as possible”.
“While the payments come from the federal government, they are administered by the states and territories,” a council spokesperson said.
‘Retailers are waiting for approval of the final arrangements so that they can make payments to their customers’ accounts.
‘Retailers strive to ensure that customers receive their full payment entitlement in a timely manner. We understand that some customers may be frustrated or confused about when the first payment is made.’
Origin Energy also confirmed that they are ‘working with the government to get energy bill payments to our customers as quickly as possible’.
Treasury Secretary Jim Chalmers announced the energy tax credit for July 1 in May, but it has not yet started in three states
Finance Minister Jim Chalmers announced the $300 energy rebate in the May budget.
He said that starting in July this year, “more than 10 million households will receive a total rebate of $300.”
Under this scheme, energy companies receive a $75 credit on every quarterly energy bill.
The retailer has assured its customers that they will refund the full amount of $300 for the financial year.
Victorian Opposition energy spokesman David Davis urged the state’s Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to “process the required paperwork and ensure the money flows this week”.
“Households are overwhelmed by rising energy costs and deserve immediate access to the promised relief — even if it barely scratches the surface,” Davis said.
A government spokesperson in Allan said all households with an electricity bill will automatically receive the full $300 rebate on their bill, “paid in instalments over the 2024-25 financial year”.
Social services are also calling on state governments to take swift action as underprivileged households face mounting bills.
Households in NSW, Victoria and South Australia who expected to get $75 off their energy bills this month were left sorely disappointed
Gavin Dufty of the St Vincent de Paul Society called for a reduction in the ‘red tape that prevents people from getting help with living costs in times of a costs crisis’.
Queenslanders have already seen their bills taxed, with the Miles government releasing an additional $1,000 in its bid for re-election in October.
Announcing the plan, Dr Chalmers said it would bring down inflation, which currently stands at 3.8 per cent
“The Treasury estimates that this will immediately reduce headline inflation by about half a percentage point in 2024-25 and will not add to broader inflationary pressures,” he said.