Premier Ted Baillieu has broken his commitment to Portland pensioners and concession card holders, Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP said.
“On December 1, Mr Baillieu announced that he would bring forward energy concessions for low income earners to January 1,” Ms Tierney said.
“He fudged in parliament, and on the weekend he backtracked, only providing the concession from March 1, 60 days late.
“Any way you look at it, the Premier remained silent on his 1 January commitment, despite electricity prices continuing to rise.
“This isn’t a bring-forward, this is a broken promise, and it will affect vulnerable people in Portland.
“There are people in Portland struggling to make ends meet that have received energy bills already this year, and they had to sacrifice to help pay the bill.”
Shadow Minister for the Suburbs, Cost of Living, Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio said the Labor Opposition campaigned strongly for Mr Baillieu to keep his word on bringing the energy concession forward to January 1.
“Both the Leader of the Opposition Daniel Andrews and I asked Mr Baillieu about this broken promise in the parliament, to which he predictably denied it,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“After a week of scandals including the scrapping of the fundraising forum with Transport Minister Terry Mulder and Deloitte, the contractors reviewing Myki, Mr Baillieu was forced to find some good news.
“Ted Baillieu was shamed by the Opposition into bringing forward this energy concession, which is closer to April Fool’s day than New Year’s Day.
“Whatever Mr Baillieu’s reason for the delay, the fact remains that vulnerable Victorians have been short changed by this Government.”