Page 1482 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 26 September 1989

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Pensioners having electricity bills amounting to less than the rebate amount for any billing period obtain only a 50 per cent reduction in their bill. As many of these pensioners are likely to also consume gas, there would appear to be a strong case for reviewing the current system on equity grounds.

It also seems likely that the system has shortcomings from the viewpoint of price competitiveness between electricity and gas.

Accordingly, I have referred the matter of the coverage of energy cost rebates, to pensioners and for life support purposes, to the Minister for Community Services and Health for review. Because of the implications for price competitiveness between gas and electricity, my department will of course also have an input into this review.

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