00:00This AGL customer thinks his power bills are too high.
00:06We spend about $1,500 a quarter on electricity, nearly $5,000 a year.
00:11High coal and gas prices have increased costs for electricity generators and retailers.
00:17But companies that also produce gas like Origin are doing okay, posting a half year profit
00:23of $1 billion.
00:25Power generator and retailer AGL's profit fell despite signing up more customers and
00:31increasing sales by 15%.
00:33They all have very large growth programs of reinvesting money in the assets that we need
00:39up and down the east coast to keep the lights on.
00:42Between them, AGL and Origin have about 9 million customers.
00:47Their profits come after the federal government's $3.5 billion in energy price relief rebates
00:53for households and small businesses.
00:56Some say instead more should be done to prevent electricity and gas customers being charged
01:02so much in the first place.
01:04The public is entitled to be concerned if there's a big energy subsidy to an energy
01:11company and its profits go up significantly.
01:16Energy prices could and should be lower.
01:19AGL and Origin say their retail margins have decreased and they don't price gouge customers.
01:27Working in the energy efficiency industry, this father of two thinks households need
01:32more help to reduce power use.
01:34I see the federal government rebates as something that is a very short term band aid fix.
01:41A short term band aid that's likely to be extended with an election looming.
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