Victorian Energy Prices 2008-2010
Shop Around or Pay the Price

St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc. revealed that Victorian households annual energy costs have typically increased by more than $300 over the past two years, in their report ‘Victorian Energy Prices, July 2008 – July 2010’ released today.

Electricity and gas costs have risen most significantly in the inner west and northern suburbs of Melbourne and in regional areas due to weaker retail competition and higher infrastructure costs.

The Victorian Energy Prices project involved the development of a tariff-tracking tool that allows consumers to undertake ongoing energy price monitoring. This report presents key findings produced by the tariff-tracking tool to date. The analysis shows high increases in energy costs from July 2008 to July 2010, and highlights where and how households can lower their energy bills as well as potentially detrimental contract conditions.

Last year the St Vincent de Paul Society in Victoria registered an increase in demand for emergency relief to pay for utility bills of 30 per cent. In response to this increase it was decided that the Society and other community groups needed to obtain a thorough understanding of changes to energy prices and the impact they have on household bills in order to increase community awareness about these changes and whether there are ways for households to reduce their bills.

Melbourne's first Vinnies CEO Sleepout
makes its mark

Melbourne's first Vinnies CEO Sleepout has hit the mark with 116 CEOs from across Victoria and Tasmania sleeping out on Thursday 17 June 2010 at Etihad Stadium.

The event has raised over $383,000 in Victoria while across Australia the Vinnies CEO Sleepout has raised $2.77 million to assist homeless services.

CEOs have embraced the experience of being homeless for a night and have risen to the challenge.

Melbourne's weather for the evening reached an overnight low of 7.8ºC with a nice cool breeze that circled through Etihad Stadium presenting our CEOs with a taste of being homeless.

Our 116 CEOs rugged up and slept rough armed only with a sleeping bag, pillow and cardboard to stave off the coldness from Etihad's concrete floor.

Societynews - Vinnies CEO Sleepout  [Special Edition]