As Christmas races towards us and I wrap up 2024, cost-of-living has been my number one priority and I suspect yours as well.

Remember that just over 1,000 days ago - before the last federal election - Albanese Labor promised 97 times to cut your power bills by $275 per annum.   A record number of Australians are struggling to pay their electricity bills, with the number of electricity and gas customers in hardship increasing 79 and 86 per cent respectively in the last two years.  Power prices haven’t fallen, they’ve gone up 31 per cent since Mr Albanese became Prime Minister – leaving aside the four $75 quarterly bill rebates that expire next year, which falls far short of Labor’s promise of a $275 permanent reduction.  Energy costs are a significant factor in nearly 25,000 small businesses nationwide going insolvent since Labor took office.  Little wonder, when Labor said their experimental ‘renewables only’ energy policy - never tried anywhere else in the world on such a huge landmass – would cost $112 billion, but in fact will cost a staggering $642 billion.  Labor won’t pay a penny for that – we will.

Meanwhile Labor have allowed supermarket price gouging to continue, rushing through in the final Canberra sitting days the supermarket reform which The Nationals have been demanding for years.  The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct will now become mandatory with fines, but the penalties for price gouging supermarkets are not as heavy as we have been calling for.

Food costs are up 11.8 per cent, housing 11.7 per cent, rents 16.1 per cent, gas up 32.2 per cent, health up 10.4 per cent, education up 11.5 per cent and financial and insurance services up 18.2 per cent.

It’s long past time to get Australia back on track under a Coalition Government’s responsible economic management.

In my last column for the year, I urge Robinvale residents to take a good break, spend time with family and friends, and please be safe from the heat, fire risk and on our roads.  Think about fellow motorists, slow down, ‘arrive alive’ and share the Christmas spirit. Merry Christmas to all.

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