Julia Gillard wants to reduce our electricity prices.

There's another squadron of pigs flying over head.

Idiots in publicly supported welfare jobs, try to actually believe the spin, & even try to convince us it's true.

God help us.

Juliar wants to be seen to be doing something about power prices. It is all about gesture politics.

The $250 p.a. savings is a maximum amount which contingent upon the householders changing their consumption habits, and at best will only happen in 3+ years.

Jon J - Carbon Tax Repeal

No, our Plan for Affordable Energy doesn't include campaigning for the repeal, because (for the BSL):
- of the compensation and assistance through the tax/transfer system,
- the importance of other drivers of prices, particularly networks
- the need to address Australia's emissions in a cost effective way. The full report from Oakley Greenwood has reference to the carbon price.

Valley Guy

The sense I got from "Jenny" was she didn't enjoy having to switch off the hot water. If environmental sustainability requires use of collective showers - it may be a hard sell. Many of the households we talk to would be keen to undertake more environmentally sustainable and cost effective action. Unfortunately for many the upfront cost of a solar hot water system is prohibitive. Often for people like Jenny (and like me) moving isn't always that straight-forward.

Raycom

There is quite a bit of work on the impacts of TOU, we think there needs to be more.

The modelling we have seen, from Victoria and internationally, suggests that many households on low incomes will benefit from switching to TOU. It depends on multiple factors including the differential in prices during peak / shoulder/ off peak; the timing for the period; whether the household is on dual fuel. Importantly it needs to be opt-in. Take for example a pensioner couple, who spend a significant amount of time at home. If the pricing has a shoulder period during the day, which is lower than the current rate, under a number of plausible scenarios they will benefit. AT present those without air-conditioners are subsidising those with air-conditioners. TOU isn't the only option, others like cycling air conditioners down for short periods may be effective. We're particularly interested in getting more detail on larger low income households.
A big issue will be whether households can understand and compare the different tariff options - this is hard enough all ready.

Shadow Minister

You're right, many of the savings will take considerable time to be realised. To reach the $250 figure will also be a real challenge

Even pensioners cook the evening meal between 2pm & 8pm.
Even their houses get hot between 2pm & 8pm, sunset around 7pm.

The dopey idea is to force the natural time to have meals etc to be
at an unnatural time of day.
The electricity system has to cater for nature, not nature cater for the electricity system.

You know, when I was indulging in "collective" showering, they always took much much longer than the solo type.

On the other hand, I used to run a company that marketed water/energy saving equipment, including showers, mostly to the hospitality & health care industries.

The repayment period for a quality 6 liter/minute shower was only about 1000 showers, a year or so in one bathroom families. Introduction of on suites in homes, defence force accommodation & in hospitals had a very detrimental effect on pay back periods.

According to our figures in the 90s, very few solar hot water systems had repaid their purchase price, before they required replacement.

Damian S: " The modelling we have seen, from Victoria and internationally, suggests that many households on low incomes will benefit from switching to TOU. ... We're particularly interested in getting more detail on larger low income households. "

That observation may be sufficient to convince the unprincipled politicians responsible for penalising all Australians with unjustifiably high electricity prices, but it leaves a lot to be desired for someone who supposedly goes in to bat for low income households. Let's see the numbers that support your assertion.