Cost of Living
Our Vision
The basics of life including energy, water and digital communication are safe, reliable, equitable, affordable and accessible for all Tasmanians.
We can achieve this by:
- The State Government preparing and publishing a distributional analysis of each year’s budget. A distributional analysis is a quantitative report about how people across the income spectrum are differentially affected
- Introducing a ‘Cost of Living Impact Statement’ that is prepared and tabled alongside each piece of legislation that goes to Parliament. The Statement would identify how the legislation affects or addresses cost of living pressures, with a particular focus on five key areas:
- Health
- Education
- Employment
- Housing, and
- Essential services (electricity, gas, water and sewerage and telecommunications)
- Developing and implementing a Tasmanian Digital Inclusion Strategy for those currently experiencing high levels of exclusion. The strategy would focus on people and government services
- More details in our Cost of Living Proposal and Connecting All Tasmanians to Digital Services Proposal
Energy
Labor
Policy
Trial of 100 low income households with solar panels and battery storage installed. TasNetworks will fund the upfront cost of infrastructure and installation through forgone dividends and the installation will be carried out in partnership with renewable energy and battery storage companies.
Rating
Website
Rating Justification
Evidence base – Solar and storage can save money for households
Equity – Small number of low income households to benefit initially, but potential for more to benefit
Future Focus – Trial means that potential for benefit to go further than these initial households, good opportunity to gain information about how technology can assist households with energy costs
Greens
Policy
Reviewing solar feed-in tariff, expanding the Economic Regulator’s range of considerations to use in setting the feed-in price
Rating
Website
Rating Justification
Evidence base – Good evidence for many of the proposed measures
Equity – Strong support for low income and disadvantaged Tasmanians
Future Focus – Includes long term vision for planning and for future demand
Liberal
Policy
Trial of a solar-powered micro grid, $200,000 for generation and storage (solar panels and battery) installed at six residential aged-care units in Nubeena. Units will be built and operated by Tasman Council p>
Rating
Website
Rating Justification
Evidence base – Evidence could be developed through trial
Equity – Cannot access in trial stage
Future Focus – Yes if continued.
Liberal
Policy
Institute a CPI price cap on regulated electricity prices for the next two financial years, and decouple Tasmania’s wholesale energy prices from those of Victoria in the National Electricity Market.
Rating
Rating Justification
Evidence base – Cost of living benefits for most Tasmanians, with the CPI cap good policy. Unclear whether non-regulated tariffs which include PAYG customers will also be capped.
Equity – Yes, this will make a difference to cost of living, though not enough detail on the long-term model.
Future Focus – Yes, though little detail about other implications for Tasmania’s relationship with NEM as a whole.
Greens
Policy
Free energy efficiency upgrades for homes directed to public and community housing and low income private renters and home owners.
$8 million available over 4 years, reaching an estimated 8,000 households. $4 million available over 4 years in grants available to small business and community organisations for energy efficiency upgrades.
Rating
Website
Rating Justification
Evidence-based – yes, similar program in past years demonstrated cost of living benefits to households.
Equity – yes, targets low income Tasmanians
Future focussed – yes, fixing the material environment has long term benefits for residents in reducing heating costs.
Digital Inclusion
Labor
Policy
A Minister for the Digital Economy, an Innovation and ICT Sector Advisory Council, review of the Tasmanian innovation and tech sector, foster digital startups, seeks to combat digital divide including affordability improvements.
Rating
Rating Justification
Evidence base – Will build evidence through comprehensive review, draws on Australian Digital Affordability Index
Equity – Seeks to address digital divide, includes commitment to govt transparency
Future Focus – Recognises digital as essential for economy and community
Water
Liberal
Policy
A revised plan for TasWater takeover by State Government including an immediate one year freeze on prices; return to local councils in perpetuity – beyond 2025, councils would receive the greater of $20M indexed or 50% of profits. An additional $300M for infrastructure upgrades is included.
Rating
Website
Rating Justification
Evidence base – There is a need to improve TasWater performance
Equity – Lower prices for everyone in the first year, no special consideration for lowest incomes, but they will benefit from price freeze. Fairer not to impose ‘catchup’ infrastructure costs on current customers
Future Focus – Infrastructure upgrades are needed