[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":476},["ShallowReactive",2],{"active-categories":3,"blowouts":28,"story-\u002Fstories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling":83,"related-\u002Fstories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling":430,"surround-\u002Fstories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling":467},[4,6,8,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27],{"category":5},"follow-the-money",{"category":7},"cost-of-living",{"category":9},"government-waste",{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":7},{"category":7},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":5},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":7},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":9},{"category":7},{"category":5},{"category":7},{"category":9},{"category":9},[29,39,49,58,66,75],{"path":30,"title":31,"category":9,"date":32,"blowout":33},"\u002Fstories\u002Fbom-website-96-million-one-year-on","One year on: the BOM website that cost $96.5 million, not $4 million","2026-10-24",{"project":34,"originalCost":35,"currentCost":36,"announced":37,"note":38},"BOM website",4100000,96500000,"2025","$4.1m was the figure first given to the public.",{"path":40,"title":41,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":43},"\u002Fstories\u002Fcross-river-rail-cost-blowout-19-billion","Cross River Rail was sold as a $5.4 billion project. The government now says it costs $19 billion","2026-10-25",{"project":44,"originalCost":45,"currentCost":46,"announced":47,"note":48},"Cross River Rail",5400000000,19041000000,"2017","Queensland Government figure (Oct 2025). It includes 25 years of tunnel maintenance and network works; Labor disputes counting them.",{"path":50,"title":51,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":52},"\u002Fstories\u002Fhunter-class-frigates-27-billion-three-ships","Hunter-class frigates: sold as nine warships for $35 billion. We're now paying $27 billion for three",{"project":53,"originalCost":54,"currentCost":55,"announced":56,"note":57},"Hunter-class frigates",35000000000,45600000000,"2018","2020 Force Structure Plan estimate for nine ships. The program is now six ships; close to $27bn is allocated for the first three, including the Osborne shipyard.",{"path":59,"title":60,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":61},"\u002Fstories\u002Finland-rail-cost-blowout-45-billion-parkes","Inland Rail was sold as a $10.7 billion project. It now costs $45.6 billion, and stops at Parkes",{"project":62,"originalCost":63,"currentCost":55,"announced":64,"note":65},"Inland Rail",10660000000,"2015","Both P90 estimates for the full Melbourne to Brisbane line. Only Beveridge to Parkes is now being built.",{"path":67,"title":68,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":69},"\u002Fstories\u002Fnorth-east-link-cost-blowout-26-billion","North East Link was sold as a $10 billion road. It now costs $26 billion",{"project":70,"originalCost":71,"currentCost":72,"announced":73,"note":74},"North East Link",10000000000,26100000000,"2016","Victoria's December 2023 estimate. Includes the Eastern Freeway and M80 upgrades added since.",{"path":76,"title":77,"category":9,"date":42,"blowout":78},"\u002Fstories\u002Fsnowy-2-0-cost-blowout-25-billion","Snowy 2.0 was sold as a $2 billion project. It could now cost $25 billion",{"project":79,"originalCost":80,"currentCost":81,"announced":47,"note":82},"Snowy 2.0",2000000000,22200000000,"Target cost. Up to $25bn with contingency; transmission not included.",{"id":84,"title":85,"author":86,"bigNumber":87,"bigNumberLabel":88,"blowout":89,"body":90,"category":7,"date":42,"description":379,"draft":380,"extension":381,"featured":380,"focusKeywords":382,"image":383,"imageAlt":384,"meta":385,"navigation":386,"path":387,"people":388,"readingTime":389,"refresh":89,"seo":390,"shareImage":89,"sources":391,"stem":422,"tags":423,"updated":89,"__hash__":429},"stories\u002Fstories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling.md","Power prices 'fell' this year. So why is your bill bigger?","Aussie Outrage","18-22%","How much higher the typical household power bill was in NSW, Victoria and SA, year on year, in the September 2025 quarter",null,{"type":91,"value":92,"toc":370},"minimark",[93,102,105,110,117,122,134,141,151,157,251,257,260,263,273,276,282,286,301,308,312,315,326,330,333,344,353],[94,95,96,97,101],"p",{},"In May, the Australian Energy Regulator announced good news: the benchmark electricity price for 2026-27 would ",[98,99,100],"strong",{},"fall"," by between 3.4% and 7.2% for households in NSW and south-east Queensland.",[94,103,104],{},"If you've opened a power bill since, you may not have noticed.",[106,107],"big-stat",{"label":108,"source":109,"value":87},"How much higher the median household power bill was in Victoria, NSW and SA in July to September 2025 than a year earlier","ACCC retail billing data (June 2026 report); Aussie Outrage analysis",[94,111,112,113,116],{},"The ACCC collects real bills from retailers covering nine in ten households. In the July to September quarter of 2025, the median household bill, after rebates, was ",[98,114,115],{},"18% higher in Victoria, 20% higher in NSW and 22% higher in South Australia"," than a year earlier.",[118,119,121],"h2",{"id":120},"three-things-the-price-fall-leaves-out","Three things the \"price fall\" leaves out",[94,123,124,127,128,133],{},[98,125,126],{},"1. The rebates are gone."," From July 2024, the federal Energy Bill Relief Fund took $300 off every household's power bill over the year, in $75 quarterly credits. It was extended by another $150 to December 2025, then the Treasurer confirmed it would not be extended again. The rebate never made power cheaper; it just hid part of the bill. Now the full price is back on your bill. The ABS says the end of the rebates is the main reason electricity prices rose 13.2% in the year to August 2026, one of the biggest drivers of ",[129,130,132],"a",{"href":131},"\u002Fstories\u002Faustralia-inflation-rate","Australia's inflation rate",".",[94,135,136,137,140],{},"Take the rebates out and the rise is starker. Before rebates, the median quarterly bill across NSW, Victoria, South Australia and south-east Queensland was ",[98,138,139],{},"37% higher"," in July to September 2025 than in the same quarter of 2021.",[142,143],"line-chart",{":data":144,":decimals":145,"note":146,"prefix":147,"source":148,"subtitle":149,"title":150},"[{\"x\":\"2021\",\"xLabel\":\"Jul to Sep 2021\",\"y\":314.9,\"label\":\"2021: $315\"},{\"x\":\"2022\",\"xLabel\":\"Jul to Sep 2022\",\"y\":323.5},{\"x\":\"2023\",\"xLabel\":\"Jul to Sep 2023\",\"y\":374.6},{\"x\":\"2024\",\"xLabel\":\"Jul to Sep 2024\",\"y\":390.7},{\"x\":\"2025\",\"xLabel\":\"Jul to Sep 2025\",\"y\":432.4,\"label\":\"2025: $432\"}]","0","Nominal dollars, excluding GST. Medians from retailer billing data. Bills reflect both prices and how much power households used. Same quarter each year, so winter and summer don't distort the comparison.","$","ACCC Inquiry into the National Electricity Market, June 2026 report, Appendix C (Table A.1)","Median household electricity bill for the July to September quarter, excluding government rebates (NSW, Vic, SA and SE Queensland)","The real power bill, before rebates",[94,152,153,156],{},[98,154,155],{},"2. A small fall after a very big rise."," Look at the regulator's benchmark (the Default Market Offer) over time:",[158,159,160,179],"table",{},[161,162,163],"thead",{},[164,165,166,170,173,176],"tr",{},[167,168,169],"th",{},"Year",[167,171,172],{},"NSW",[167,174,175],{},"SE Queensland",[167,177,178],{},"South Australia",[180,181,182,197,209,223,237],"tbody",{},[164,183,184,188,191,194],{},[185,186,187],"td",{},"2022-23",[185,189,190],{},"Up 8.5% to 14.1%",[185,192,193],{},"Up 11.3%",[185,195,196],{},"Up 7.2%",[164,198,199,202,205,207],{},[185,200,201],{},"2023-24",[185,203,204],{},"Up 20.8% to 23.9% across the three states",[185,206],{},[185,208],{},[164,210,211,214,217,220],{},[185,212,213],{},"2024-25",[185,215,216],{},"Down 0.2% to 0.9%",[185,218,219],{},"Up 4.9%",[185,221,222],{},"Down 2.2%",[164,224,225,228,231,234],{},[185,226,227],{},"2025-26",[185,229,230],{},"Up 8.5% to 9.1%",[185,232,233],{},"Up 3.7%",[185,235,236],{},"Up 3.2%",[164,238,239,242,245,248],{},[185,240,241],{},"2026-27",[185,243,244],{},"Down 3.4% to 5.0%",[185,246,247],{},"Down 7.2%",[185,249,250],{},"Up 1.4%",[94,252,253],{},[254,255,256],"em",{},"Households without a controlled load (such as an off-peak hot water meter), standing offers. Source: AER final determinations.",[94,258,259],{},"A 5% fall after a 20%-plus rise still leaves you far worse off than in 2022.",[94,261,262],{},"The last two years show it most clearly. In NSW, this year's cut doesn't undo last year's rise:",[264,265],"bar-chart",{":data":266,":diverging":267,"note":268,"source":269,"subtitle":270,"suffix":271,"title":272},"[{\"label\":\"NSW, 2025-26\",\"value\":8.8,\"display\":\"+8.5 to 9.1%\"},{\"label\":\"NSW, 2026-27\",\"value\":-4.2,\"display\":\"−3.4 to 5.0%\"},{\"label\":\"South Australia, 2025-26\",\"value\":3.2},{\"label\":\"South Australia, 2026-27\",\"value\":1.4},{\"label\":\"SE Queensland, 2025-26\",\"value\":3.7},{\"label\":\"SE Queensland, 2026-27\",\"value\":-7.2}]","true","NSW figures are the middle of each year's range across its three network areas (2025-26: 8.5% to 9.1%; 2026-27: 3.4% to 5.0% lower).","AER Default Market Offer final determinations, May 2025 and May 2026","Change in the benchmark household electricity price (standing offer, households without controlled load)","%","Last year's rise, this year's 'fall'",[94,274,275],{},"South-east Queensland is the exception: its cut this year is bigger than last year's rise. South Australia went up both years.",[94,277,278,281],{},[98,279,280],{},"3. The benchmark isn't your bill."," The Default Market Offer is a cap on the standing offer for people who never switched plans. Your bill depends on your retailer, your plan and how much power you use. The ACCC found bills rose because of both higher effective prices and higher usage.",[118,283,285],{"id":284},"whos-still-paying-the-most","Who's still paying the most",[94,287,288,289,292,293,296,297,300],{},"The regulator's 2026-27 benchmark bill for a typical household ranges from ",[98,290,291],{},"$1,899 a year"," in Ausgrid's network (Sydney, the Central Coast and Newcastle) to ",[98,294,295],{},"$2,604"," in Essential Energy's (regional NSW), with South Australia at ",[98,298,299],{},"$2,334",". Each network's \"typical household\" uses a different amount of power, so these aren't exact comparisons. South Australians are the only households covered by the benchmark who saw it go up again this year.",[94,302,303,304,307],{},"The ACCC also found households with solar panels and a battery had bills ",[98,305,306],{},"$329 to $909 a year lower"," (20% to 52%) than customers relying on the grid alone, a gap that leaves renters, and anyone who can't afford panels and a battery, paying the most.",[118,309,311],{"id":310},"and-then-theres-heating","And then there's heating",[94,313,314],{},"For millions of homes, especially in Victoria, winter means gas heating, and gas has its own story.",[94,316,317,318,321,322,133],{},"In Victoria, 60% of all gas is used by homes and small businesses, mostly for heating and cooking. That gas now costs around ",[98,319,320],{},"$13 to $14 a gigajoule"," wholesale, up from $3 to $4 before east coast exports started in 2015, because producers can sell it overseas instead. ",[129,323,325],{"href":324},"\u002Fstories\u002Feast-coast-gas-exported-australians-pay-more","Three-quarters of east coast gas is exported",[118,327,329],{"id":328},"why-it-matters","Why it matters",[94,331,332],{},"Power and gas aren't optional. Families can switch brands at the supermarket; they can't switch off the fridge or the heater in July.",[94,334,335,336,339,340,343],{},"Next year's benchmark prices will be released in draft in ",[98,337,338],{},"March 2027"," and finalised in ",[98,341,342],{},"May 2027",". We'll publish what they mean for your bill the day they come out.",[94,345,346],{},[254,347,348,349,133],{},"Tell us what your power bill was this year and five years ago: ",[129,350,352],{"href":351},"\u002Fsubmit-a-story","send us a tip",[94,354,355],{},[254,356,357,358,364,365,133],{},"Top photo: electricity pylons at Gregadoo, NSW (file photo, 2009). Photo: Bidgee, ",[129,359,363],{"href":360,"rel":361},"https:\u002F\u002Fcreativecommons.org\u002Flicenses\u002Fby-sa\u002F3.0",[362],"nofollow","CC BY-SA 3.0",", via ",[129,366,369],{"href":367,"rel":368},"https:\u002F\u002Fcommons.wikimedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FFile:Electricity_pylons.jpg",[362],"Wikimedia Commons",{"title":371,"searchDepth":372,"depth":373,"links":374},"",2,3,[375,376,377,378],{"id":120,"depth":372,"text":121},{"id":284,"depth":372,"text":285},{"id":310,"depth":372,"text":311},{"id":328,"depth":372,"text":329},"The regulator cut its benchmark price by a few per cent in July. But the government rebates have ended, and the rises of 2022 to 2024 haven't gone anywhere. Here's what's really happening to your power and heating bills.",false,"md",[],"\u002Fimages\u002Felectricity-pylons-gregadoo.jpg","Two electricity transmission pylons in a green paddock under a blue sky at Gregadoo, NSW",{},true,"\u002Fstories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling",[],6,{"title":85,"description":379},[392,395,398,401,404,407,410,413,416,419],{"title":393,"url":394},"AER: AER releases final Default Market Offer 2026-27 (26 May 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aer.gov.au\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fnews-releases\u002Faer-releases-final-default-market-offer-2026-27",{"title":396,"url":397},"AER: Default market offer 2026-27 final determination","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aer.gov.au\u002Findustry\u002Fregisters\u002Fresources\u002Freviews\u002Fdefault-market-offer-2026-27\u002Ffinal-determination",{"title":399,"url":400},"AER: Default market offer final determinations 2022-23, 2024-25 (revised) and 2025-26","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aer.gov.au\u002Findustry\u002Fregisters\u002Fresources\u002Freviews\u002Fdefault-market-offer-prices-2022-23",{"title":402,"url":403},"AER: Final determination for the 2023-24 default market offer (news release)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aer.gov.au\u002Fnews\u002Farticles\u002Fnews-releases\u002Faer-releases-final-determination-2023-24-default-market-offer",{"title":405,"url":406},"ACCC: Inquiry into the National Electricity Market, June 2026 report (published 10 Jul 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.accc.gov.au\u002Fabout-us\u002Fpublications\u002Fserial-publications\u002Finquiry-into-the-national-electricity-market-2018-26-reports\u002Finquiry-into-the-national-electricity-market-report-june-2026",{"title":408,"url":409},"ACCC: June 2026 report, Appendix C retail pricing data (Table A.1, median residential bills)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.accc.gov.au\u002Fsystem\u002Ffiles\u002Finquiry-national-electricity-market-report-june-2026-appendix-c.xlsx",{"title":411,"url":412},"ACCC: Growing home battery uptake delivering lower electricity bills (10 Jul 2026)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.accc.gov.au\u002Fmedia-release\u002Fgrowing-home-battery-uptake-delivering-lower-electricity-bills-but-consumer-protections-needed",{"title":414,"url":415},"SolarQuotes: It's official, Energy Bill Relief Fund rebates to end","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.solarquotes.com.au\u002Fblog\u002Fenergy-bill-rebates-mb3330\u002F",{"title":417,"url":418},"Victorian Government: Energy Bill Relief Fund","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.energy.vic.gov.au\u002Fhouseholds\u002Fhelp-paying-your-energy-bills\u002Fenergy-bill-relief-fund",{"title":420,"url":421},"AER: State of the energy market 2025, Chapter 4: Gas markets in eastern Australia","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aer.gov.au\u002Fsystem\u002Ffiles\u002F2025-08\u002FState%20of%20the%20energy%20market%202025%20-%20Chapter%204%20-%20Gas%20markets%20in%20eastern%20Australia.pdf","stories\u002Fpower-bills-rebates-ended-prices-falling",[424,425,426,427,428],"electricity","gas","energy-bills","rebates","heating","JIlZHwJemYLwNDY7ZhjIC2cIRMducIl7X1orFhS_J1Q",[431,441,450,458],{"path":432,"title":433,"description":434,"date":435,"category":7,"author":86,"image":436,"imageAlt":437,"bigNumber":438,"bigNumberLabel":439,"readingTime":440,"featured":380},"\u002Fstories\u002Fcar-insurance-premiums-up-42-percent","Car insurance premiums: up 42%, and insurers don't say why","Car insurance premiums in Australia rose 42% in five years and another 8% last year. ASIC found no insurer explained why. What's driving it and how to pay less.","2026-10-28","\u002Fimages\u002Fcar-insurance-eastern-freeway-traffic.jpg","Morning peak-hour traffic banked up on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway","42%","Rise in the average comprehensive car insurance premium from 2019 to 2024, before another 8% in 2024-25",8,{"path":442,"title":443,"description":444,"date":435,"category":7,"author":86,"image":445,"imageAlt":446,"bigNumber":447,"bigNumberLabel":448,"readingTime":449,"featured":380},"\u002Fstories\u002Fcoles-down-down-court-case-discounts-not-genuine","Coles Down Down court case: 13 of 14 discounts not genuine","The Coles Down Down court case: a judge found 13 of 14 discounts weren't genuine. No penalty until 2027, Woolworths awaits judgment, and profits are up.","\u002Fimages\u002Fcoles-aisle-trolley.jpg","A shopping trolley in a Coles supermarket aisle lined with stocked shelves and yellow price tickets","13 of 14","Coles 'Down Down' tickets the Federal Court found misleading, because the discount wasn't genuine",7,{"path":451,"title":452,"description":453,"date":435,"category":7,"author":86,"image":454,"imageAlt":455,"bigNumber":456,"bigNumberLabel":457,"readingTime":389,"featured":380},"\u002Fstories\u002Frent-prices-australia","Rent prices in Australia now take a record 34% of income","Rent prices in Australia: the median is $713 a week, renters pay a record 34% of income, and a full-time minimum wage worker can afford 0.5% of listings.","\u002Fimages\u002Frent-paddington-terraces.jpg","A row of terrace houses on a leafy street at Fiveways, Paddington, in Sydney","34%","Share of pre-tax income the typical renting household spent on rent in June 2026, the highest on record",{"path":131,"title":459,"description":460,"date":461,"category":7,"author":86,"image":462,"imageAlt":463,"bigNumber":464,"bigNumberLabel":465,"readingTime":466,"featured":380},"Australia's inflation rate climbs to 4.3%. Here's why","Australia's inflation rate rose to 4.3% in September 2026, up from 4.0%. Petrol, up 23.6% in a year, and power bills after the rebates ended led the rise.","2026-10-27","\u002Fimages\u002Finflation-petrol-prices-brisbane.jpg","A United service station in Brisbane with its price board showing unleaded at 241.9 cents a litre and diesel at 295.9","4.3%","Australia's inflation rate, 12 months to September 2026",13,[468,471],{"title":68,"path":67,"stem":469,"description":470,"children":-1},"stories\u002Fnorth-east-link-cost-blowout-26-billion","Melbourne's North East Link was unveiled at $10bn in 2016. It's now $26.1bn, Victoria's most expensive road. The Treasurer said 60% of the rise was the government's own choices.",{"title":472,"path":473,"stem":474,"description":475,"children":-1},"How to move a profit offshore: the 9% loan and the Singapore hub","\u002Fstories\u002Fprofit-shifting-money-trail-chevron-rio-tinto","stories\u002Fprofit-shifting-money-trail-chevron-rio-tinto","Two real cases, one decided in court and one settled with the tax office for about $1 billion, show how multinationals can shrink an Australian tax bill. Follow the money, step by step.",1793703844279]