Queensland farmers and businesses will now have an extra 12 months to transition to standard electricity tariffs.
Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham today announced that the 30,000-plus customers on a collection of obsolete and transitional electricity tariffs, some of which are more than 25 years old, would have until June 30, 2021 to move.
"We've listened to our regional businesses and farmers and we've given them another year to make the move that's been underway now for six years," he said.
"For some of them, that's going to mean significant savings this year."
Queensland Farmers' Federation president Stuart Armitage welcomed the government's decision to extend the deadline, but noted the extension only applied to customers on the Ergon network and called on the government to include all Queensland farmers and businesses.
"The government has failed to consider the many farmers and businesses operating in south east Queensland who will be unfairly disadvantaged because they are on the Energex network and therefore unable to access this extension," Mr Armitage said.
"For farmers, this is yet another frustration in a process that has continually caused anguish with a lack of clarity on what tariffs would be suitable for irrigation and other agricultural-specific operations, and the significant bill increases some farmers will face when moving to standard business demand-based tariffs.
"After remedying this disappointing omission, the government must use this additional time to develop a suite of suitable tariffs and a genuine transition program for farmers required to move to standard business demand-based tariffs.
"If action is not taken, unsustainable electricity price increases and lagging productivity will result in more expensive food, fibre and foliage and a further loss of the international competitiveness of Queensland's farmers."
LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture Tony Perrett has slammed the Palaszczuk Labor Government for failing to provide certainty on electricity prices for Queensland farmers and irrigators.
"Today's announcement to delay the inevitable simply kicks the issue into the long grass instead of providing farmers and industry with the certainty they have been calling for," Mr Perrett said.
"Labor have strategically delayed the date on which farmers and businesses will receive massive electricity price increases until after the October 2020 election."
