Just read a headline to a news article.

JULIA Gillard insists now is the right time to go after the states on electricity price rises

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PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has defended criticism that she was silent on the issue of rising electricity prices while Labor was in power in NSW and Queensland.
Ms Gillard has blamed power companies and state governments on big spikes in electricity prices.
She has demanded states find solutions to take pressure off household power prices by the end of the year or face market watchdogs with greater powers to enforce changes.
But on Wednesday the prime minister was asked why federal Labor had waited until now to speak up on the issue, despite years of the party being in power in NSW and Queensland.
"We've had a lot of technical work happening over the past few years on all of these issues but now is the moment to act," she told ABC Radio, adding that price determinations affecting power bills will be made next year.
"Now is the moment to strike."
Energy ministers had been working hard on the issue for some time, Ms Gillard said.
"But we are moving to a stage now where decisions will be made that affect power prices for the next five years.
Labor MP Nick Champion denied the prime minister was deflecting criticism from the carbon tax, saying her criticism of the states was not a politically partisan move either.
"There's a Labor government in my state (in South Australia) and they're being treated exactly the same as state governments everywhere else," Mr Champion told Sky News.
"It's really an issue about getting a national electricity market that works."
Liberal MP Josh Frydenberg says he can't understand why the Gillard government always seeks to blame someone else.
"Just the other day you had Wayne Swan out there blaming Gina Rinehart and Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest for our falling productivity," he said.
"Now you've got the prime minister out there blaming the states for the carbon tax and the rising electricity costs."
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Wasn't the whole point of the carbon tax to cause prices to rise so we will use less?

progressiveslol wrote on Aug 8^th, 2012 at 10:25am:


But everyone knows this, hence i ask the question is she the full quid?

yes, she's the full quid.

Totally duplicitous, completely untrustworthy.

She has a case. NSW government has approved a further 60% on top of this:

Every utilities bill increase in Australia will be a battle for Gillard and Labor.

Fact is - she has trumpeted a policy which will deliberately and intentionally increase bills for Australian families.

To complain about bills that rise would make her look ridiculous.
She wants bills to rise - this has been my problem with her - she is completely detached from how tough those of us in ordinary families do it.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/customers-caught-in-vicious-circuit-as-p...

progressiveslol wrote on Aug 8^th, 2012 at 11:42am:



Electricity was neglected by every state government, so there is no doubt a case for price increases to improve neglected infrastructure.

But now it has got quite out of hand. We are getting a "gold plated" electricity network, which is way over the cost/benefit curve.   Why?  Because NSW want to flog off the electricity assets, and  you wont get a good price unless its generating mega profits.  Mega profits from mugs like us.   

And before you make this partisan, I'm sure a NSW labor government would do the same.   NSW liberals are hiding behind the carbon tax to sneak these increases in. Gillard is right to call them out on it.

The fundamental problem here, is that gutless governments have handed over the power to "independent tribunals" like IPART to set pricing.

Who is IPART accountable to ?   No one. 

Why cant the government set pricing ?   because they dont want to cope the flack so they outsource decisions.

Government is supposed to govern.