Weatherill’s $550 million electricity tax

14Mar

Steven Marshall MP
State Liberal Leader

Today Jay Weatherill has conceded that 15 years of failed Labor power policies will cost taxpayers more than half a billion dollars.

“I’m disappointed that Jay Weatherill didn’t apologise to every South Australian today,” said State Liberal Leader Steven Marshall.

“This $550 million electricity tax is the latest cost of Jay Weatherill’s decision to drive the Northern Power Station out of business.

“Since Jay Weatherill forced the Northern Power Station to close down South Australians have suffered blackouts, price hikes and now tax rises to pay for that foolish decision.

“South Australians have been paying massive power bills and the latest one comes in at more than half a billion dollars.

“Having announced $550 million in taxpayers’ money to rectify his mistake of closing down the Northern Power Station Jay Weatherill must now reveal how much it would have cost taxpayers to keep Port Augusta open.

“South Australians must be allowed to compare the relative cost to their electricity bills and tax burden of keeping the Port Augusta power station operating and forcing it to shut.

“Having forced the closure of 540 megawatts of cheap, base load power at Port Augusta in South Australia the Weatherill Government is now proposing to spend $360 million on 250 megawatts of standby power.

“Nowhere in Jay Weatherill’s plan is the problem of South Australia’s lack of cheap base load generation addressed.

“This plan will not deliver South Australians cheaper electricity.

“Indeed Jay Weatherill wants to phase out South Australia’s most reliable and cheapest electricity that comes via the interconnector with the Victoria.

“I will put South Australian families and jobs first, not ideology.”