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       Loophole allowing Queenslanders to cash in $1000 energy rebate 'won't
       worsen inflation'
        
 (HTM) Source
        
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       A loophole that allows Queenslanders to cash in on the state's $1000
       electricity credit announced by the premier last week will not worsen
       inflation, the treasurer has insisted.
        
       Last week, Premier Steven Miles announced all Queensland households
       would receive a $1000 credit on their electricity account in one lump
       sum from July this year to combat cost-of-living pressures.
        
       The lump sum credit means most households will not pay a cent on their
       first power bill after July 1, and possibly not on their following
       bill either.
        
       The Queensland government announced a $1000 energy credit for all
       households from July 1. (9News)
        
       However, a loophole has been exposed wherein households are able to
       cash out any credit on their account if they change their electricity
       provider.
        
       Treasurer Cameron Dick today said most people would want to make sure
       they didn't have to pay for electricity.
        
       "There's obviously got to be processes and procedures when people
       change retailers or when they move their house, that's always been
       the case in Queensland but I think Queenslanders know this money comes
       off their power bill and then they can use that however they wish, use
       it on their account as a credit or use in in a different way rather
       than their power bill," Dick said.
        
       He denied the loophole would have an inflationary effect.
        
       "We've now got that evidence that (last year's rebate) hasn't
       contributed to inflation in fact it's decreased inflation in
       Queensland, not just for electricity, reduced by almost 10 per cent,
       but our inflation for the year to the end of March was lower than the
       national average at 3.4 per cent and the single biggest contributor to
       reducing inflation in Queensland was our electricity rebate of $550."
        
       The initiative will cost the budget $2.5 billion to be funded from
       coal mining royalties.
        
        
        
        
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