Zoe Hilton of Affordable Energy Australia said there is no reason for Australians to face excessively high power bills [1].
The statement highlights a growing tension between Australia's vast natural energy resources and the actual cost of electricity for residential and commercial consumers.
Speaking during an interview with James Macpherson on Sky News Australia, Hilton said the country is an "energy-rich country" [1]. She said that the abundance of resources should translate directly into lower costs for the public [1].
Hilton said that the current pricing structures do not reflect the nation's capacity to produce energy. According to Hilton, the government and energy providers have a responsibility to ensure that power remains affordable [1].
"There’s no reason for anyone in Australia to be going without power," Hilton said [1].
She said that the country's wealth in energy assets should be leveraged to support the population. "We should be able to give people cheap power," Hilton said [1].
The call for affordable energy comes as consumers continue to navigate fluctuating utility costs. Hilton's position suggests that the disconnect between resource availability and consumer pricing is a systemic issue that requires a shift in how energy is distributed and priced within the domestic market [1].
“"There’s no reason for anyone in Australia to be going without power."”
This argument reflects a broader policy debate regarding the 'resource curse' or the gap between national commodity wealth and domestic consumer benefit. By framing energy affordability as a matter of national resource availability, Affordable Energy Australia is pushing for a regulatory or political shift that prioritizes domestic price stability over the profit margins of energy exporters and providers.
