If I had a dollar for each time I mentioned the cost of living crisis, I would be a millionaire. I would have enough cash to make a house out of $1000 milk cartons. I would have enough to tip a fancy waiter with pure wheat and raw petrol.
This is because the cost of living crisis has now been going on for ages, with no signs of slowing down. It’s currently pushing folks to make cuts and savings wherever they possibly can.
In response to this pandemonium, the Climate Council has dropped a report called Switch and Save: How Gas is Costing Households. In this document, they note that individuals in Australia’s capital cities could save a whack of power bill money if they switched from using gas-powered appliances to solely electrical ones.
Here’s what the Climate Council has discovered while making some comparisons:
|
City |
One’s yearly power bill savings if they switch from gas to low-priced electrical appliances |
One’s yearly power bill savings if they switch from gas to higher-priced electrical appliances and also got solar panels |
|
Adelaide |
$1501 | $1457 |
| Brisbane |
$1135 |
$1424 |
| Canberra |
$1561 |
$1876 |
| Hobart |
$1594 |
$1899 |
| Melbourne |
$943 |
$1207 |
| Sydney |
$514 |
$803 |
| Perth | $608 |
$942 |
Related: Aussies Are Stealing Food in a Cost of Living Crisis
Related: Live in NSW? You Can Save $9,000 on Your Energy Bills Using the Energy Savings Scheme
“In the middle of a national cost-of-living crisis, getting gas out of homes is a smart and simple way for Australians to save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year, while also reaping health benefits and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said lead author of this report, Dr Carl Tidemann.
However, while this idea is great in theory, a lot of families probably don’t have the funds to rip out their gas systems and replace all of their appliances. If these folks can’t afford their current power bills, how could they possibly afford a brand-new stove top?
The Climate Council knows this. Moreover, they have argued that our federal, state and local governments should make upgrading one’s appliances more accessible.
As Tidemann stated, “The Climate Council is calling on governments to help all Australians get off gas and access cost-saving home upgrades by providing low or zero-interest loans to help with the up-front cost of buying reverse cycle air conditioners, cooktops, and hot water heaters.”
Additionally, Dr Kate Charlesworth, a member of the Climate Council, asserted, “In addition to helping families access electric appliances, governments should also stop gas companies from charging extortionate disconnection fees and end the absurd practice of forcing new homes to be connected to gas networks.”
Whether or not the Federal Labor Government responds to this bold proposal is yet to be determined.
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