Hospital electricity costs triple under Andrews

VICTORIAN hospitals have learned from Health Purchasing Victoria that their peak and off-peak energy prices have as much as tripled this year compared to last, says Shadow Minister for Health Mary Wooldridge.

However, Health Services have not been funded to meet the increased power costs and Daniel Andrews’ Government is leaving them to pick up the extortionate bill.

Families have been feeling the cost of living pain since the closure of Hazelwood saw power bills skyrocket. Now hospitals are suffering the squeeze.

For large metropolitan health services, this price hike will see annual power bills increasing by as much as $6 million.

For smaller health services, the cost of Daniel Andrews’s power bill could threaten some of the services that are offered locally for rural and regional families.

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Health Mary Wooldridge:

“Daniel Andrews forced Hazelwood to close and saw power prices shoot up – now families and our hospitals are feeling the hit.”

“Families are hurting, businesses are struggling and now our health system is placed under extreme strain because of the Andrews Labor Government.”

“Under Daniel Andrews hospitals literally can’t afford to pay these bills.”

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