Wealthy suburbs get a power cut

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This was published 15 years ago

Wealthy suburbs get a power cut

By Mathew Murphy

RESIDENTS in some of Melbourne's most affluent suburbs are paying up to $200 less a year on their power bills than their counterparts in suburbs such as Werribee, Laverton and Geelong.

An analysis of power bills by online business GoSwitch has found that households in suburbs such as Toorak, Hawthorn and South Yarra are paying almost 2¢ a kilowatt/hour less than those in less affluent suburbs.

Ben Freund, chief executive of GoSwitch, which helps consumers find the cheapest energy deals, said an average yearly usage of 10,500 kilowatt/hours would cost a St Kilda resident $1877 but a St Albans resident would have to pay $2079.

"I'm sure many consumers who are struggling to pay rising grocery and fuel bills while meeting mortgage repayments will be disappointed to hear that their better-off fellow Victorians are paying less for their electricity needs," he said. "Let's face it, electricity is just a commodity and no one wants to pay more for it than they need to."

Mr Freund said the discrepancy was a result of the deregulation of Victoria's energy market.

"Maybe it wasn't intended that way originally but it really is the wealthier suburbs that receive the cheapest electricity."

www.goswitch.com.au

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