“Premier Baillieu has short changed concession card holders, including pensioners, by cutting a portion of financial concessions from their household utility bills,” Jenny Mikakos, Shadow Minister for Seniors and Ageing, said.
“Thousands of Victorians concession card holders have noticed an increase in the cost of their household utility bills due to the Baillieu Government profiting from the Federal Government’s household assistance package”, Ms Mikakos said.
In their letters to customers, utility providers have specified that, as a result of the Federal Government compensation for the household assistance package, the Baillieu Government has decided a portion of the state concession is now ‘unnecessary’ because it is covered by the Federal Government’s package.
Ms Mikakos refered to the key election promise that Ted Baillieu gave at the last election, regarding the cost of living reduction for all Victorians.
“Victoria’s pensioners and low income-families have been looking to Premier Baillieu since he took office to reduce cost of living pressures on household budgets”.
As Ms Mikakos said, the cost of living prices are rising, while “the Baillieu government is more concerned about running a surplus than reducing cost pressures for those people most in need”.
The Baillieu government’s decision will cost 800,000 Victorians around $41 of the subsidy withheld under the cap of the Federal Government household assistance package.
