GOVERNMENT-owned monopoly energy supplier Ergon Energy has been accused of being slow to act after the Palaszczuk government announced on June 28 it was giving farmers and businesses an extra year to move to new electricity tariffs.
Opposition agriculture spokesman Tony Perrett said Ergon's website had still not been updated to reflect the changes.
"If it takes the Palaszczuk government weeks to update a website, it's no surprise Labor has no solution for the transitional tariffs that were due to end next year," Mr Perrett said.
Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said some 30,000-plus customers would now have until June 30, 2021 to select a new tariff. The seven being phased out (including the commonly used 62, 65 and 66 tariffs used by irrigators) were not based on the cost of supplying electricity through the network, he said.
"We understand working out complex electricity tariff structures is not core business for farmers or small businesses," Mr Lynham said. "Extending the deadline will give them more time to make the most informed decision."
Farmers and others in regional areas continue to pay a premium for being on congested networks which in many locations are not congested - something the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has also pointed out.
- Dan Galligan, CANEGROWERS
While welcoming the provision of more time for irrigators to transition from the tariffs, farm group CANEGROWERS said there was a smoke and mirrors element to the announcement.
"As of 1 July, the door was closed to any farmer wanting to move to these tariffs even if they offer a better deal," chief executive Dan Galligan said.
"This is important in drought declared areas, as there is a waiver on the fixed charges applied under these tariffs.
"When every dollar and drop of water counts to keep a crop alive, this saving could tip the balance in favour of making this the most affordable way to keep the irrigators running.
"Except that these tariffs are no longer an option if the farm is not already on them."
CANEGROWERS is urging growers to carefully look at their tariff options.
"The minister has criticised these older tariffs as not being based on the cost of supplying electricity through the network but he failed to mention that that's also true of the so-called modern tariffs," Mr Galligan said.
"Farmers and others in regional areas continue to pay a premium for being on congested networks which in many locations are not congested - something the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has also pointed out.
"Irrigators are being made to pay for services that are not being delivered and not needed.
"The ACCC pointed the way in recommending a voluntary write-down of the net asset bases of Queensland's network businesses, Ergon and Energex, to address the over-investment that's happened as a result of the guaranteed returns."
Despite the ongoing frustration, Dr Lynham maintained the government line that electricity had fallen in the past years, without referencing the astronomical increases of the past decade.
Dr Lynham said farmers would also have extra time to look at options for saving power, such as how and when they use electricity, or installing more efficient irrigation pumps, refrigeration systems, LED lighting or solar panels.
