Energy is an essential service. It is critical to individual, family and community health and wellbeing, as well as to overall economic activity. All Tasmanians, regardless of their means, have the right to reliable, safe and affordable energy.

We estimate there are 59,000 households in Tasmania experiencing energy poverty. That is the equivalent of the entire northern region of our state.

Living in energy poverty forces low income households to restrict energy use by avoiding activities like showering, cooking or using heaters, which often leads to significant health and wellbeing impacts. It also results in spending high proportions of income on power bills and going without other basic goods and services.

The community services energy network* seek a commitment from all candidates and parties to the following:

To improve energy affordability and lower electricity bills for Tasmanian households, in particular, low income households.

This will be achieved by policies and actions that lower the price of electricity and improve the energy efficiency performance of housing, including:

Lower electricity prices

• Delivering the lowest electricity prices (regulated or market) in Australia.

Household energy efficiency

• Investing in the Household Energy Efficiency Program, that will deliver:
  • Energy efficiency upgrades for all Tasmanian social housing;
  • A grants program for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency upgrades; and
  • An incentives program targeted to landlords to improve the energy efficiency standard of rental properties.
• Increasing funding to NILS Tasmania to enable more Tasmanians to access energy efficient appliances.

Basic standards for rentals

• Introducing mandatory minimum energy efficiency requirements for rental properties.

* Anglicare Tasmania, Colony 47, Council on the Ageing (COTA) Tasmania, Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania, No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS) Tasmania, The Salvation Army Tasmania, Shelter Tasmania, St Vincent De Paul Tasmania, Tasmanian Council of Social Service and Tenants’ Union of Tasmania.