DreamOn:>> It comes down to what one considers the Australian standard to be? What may one reasonably be able to achieve/acquire after a lifetime as a minimum earner?<<

DreanOn, My expectation of a living standard in a first world nation such as Aussie is simply not to go backwards. My expectation is that technology should secure supply and bring it to us at a price that percentage wise means we are not paying more for electricity than we did twenty years ago. Technology brings cost cutting in every industry except power generation and the petroleum industry, funny that.

Yabby re my previous post the kWh is incorrect, I have called Integral energy and they are looking into the issue, it looks like my bill will end up about 40% more than last year rather than the 80% the bill reflects, I am still not happy about the 40% rise.

Belly the 1980's was a decade of corporate excess and a profit at any cost mentality that changed the moral compass of business ongoing. I believe the moral compass of both the major political parties also altered from that time on. The macro became the focus and the micro had to fend for itself. Our Australian Labor party was formed by men who believed in the micro, how everyday life was for the pleb. It was as important to the Labor party as was the state of the nation.

But generational change in both parties has seen the pleb become a commodity, to be purchased once every three years with spin so deceitful that it makes the authors blush. This change has not impacted to the same extent on the Liberal party as it has on Labor because the Liberals always gave the plebs just enough. So we looked to Labor to give us our fair share, if not a little bit more. But the current crop of university desensitized ex lawyer’s Labor now has running the show have as much in common with the ordinary bloke as has Malcolm Turnbull, bugger all.

Belly I hope your party finds its way forward by taking some steps backwards to the party it was. You’re a good bloke Belly.

I thought it might be, sonofgloin.

>>...the kWh is incorrect, I have called Integral energy and they are looking into the issue<<

It caused me to sift through my bills, though, to see what has happened over the years in my neck of the woods.

The earliest bill I have been able to track down is from 28th July 2005 (yes, I know. Very sad)

The tariffs then ranged from 10.3c/kWh to 12.3298c/kWh. Overall, including the daily charges and GST, this averaged out at 12.8c/kWh.

Last week's bill, dated 29th July 2010, showed the current tariffs, to be 8.0c, 13.6c, and 36c per kWh, Off Peak, Shoulder and Peak. There was in fact a price rise on 1st July of between 6% and 11%, with the Peak taking the biggest hit.

However, my average is still only 17c/kWh, a 33% rise over the five years.

That's around 5.9% p.a.

Sonofgloin, if you are paying around 20c per kw/h, I doubt if
anyone is ripping you off. If your powerbill is 1300$, then
either there is a mistake somewhere, or something is chewing
huge amounts of power in your house, that you are not aware of.

I looked at some international comparisons and given our
high wages and benefits, Australian power charges are not
unreasonable.

That is in fact one of our major costs. We are a large country
and stringing out those power poles for those huge distances,
paying staff top $, plus all their many benefits, would not
be cheap.

But yup, try a solar hot water system. I installed my first one
in the early 80s and it has paid for itself many times over.

Sonofagun in 16 months I will hang up my high vis jacket for the last time.
But never my passion for my union and party.
You if a part of both can not have too much passion, those who came before me had a great deal.
Some who walk with me have as much.
My NSW mob are lost, so they should be, almost every one of them.
I truly think self interest murders passion, and I await the March night that will more than match last night, the difference?
JOY! I will love every second of it, why? I love the ALP of yester year, look forward to the one I will not live to see, tomorrows.
I run a recycle septic system it takes power, hot water is off peak, fridge freezer and washing machine.
Yabby this state, my lost mob, have increased costs to sell its rank and file followers and our power out.
First big spend after work is full solar for me, I will not get my money back but be free of slugs like them.

LOL examinator - I'm suitably admonished. Part of our place is degraded grazing paddocks that were cleared up to a century ago. Fortunately, they left the timber in piles which I'm still harvesting, rather than just creating big bonfires. In my defence, we've planted literally hundreds of native trees and shrubs over the past 10 years as part of our own little bush regeneration project :) In any case, we're lucky enough to be surrounded by National Parks that constitute preserved habitats for many endangered species of plants and animals.

Also, I'll bet that our Granite Belt winters are rather more severe than at your place - huge frost here this morning! Thanks for the welcome back :)