Burwood electorate
Mr FOWLES (Burwood) (14:50): (6343) My constituency question is directed to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Minister, how will the electorate of Burwood benefit from the expansion of the power saving bonus program announced in the Victorian budget? The Andrews government understands the pressure on Victorian households due to the rising cost of living. That is why in the 2022–23 budget we are introducing a new one-off payment of $250 which will be available to all Victorian households who use the Victorian Energy Compare website to compare their energy deal. User data shows that seven out of every 10 users can save money by switching energy offers, with typical annual savings of $330 on energy bills in the first year of switching alone. Every household that successfully switches and saves, as well as claiming the power saving bonus, will therefore be $580 better off. The Andrews government first introduced the power saving bonus in the 2018–19 budget as a one-off $50 payment to households. It went up to $250, and I welcome this latest iteration of this important program.