Power cost surges as renewables are penalised, page-30

You'd have to check up on your local rules. Certainly it was possible to go off grid for water in SEQ after it was taken off Brisbane Water - I see there is a new Water Supply Services Amendment Act in Qld in 2014 which may have stopped the process - but so few people would do it that I doubt it would be an issue. For some reason solar panels ARE an issue, in spite of a huge campaign, local community consultations and exhortations and education to cut electricity usage to minimise the need to add extra infrastructure. They need to make their bloody minds up one way or another, and decide if the do want us to save power or not. Not telling us how important it is to reduce usage one year, and then taxing us extra next year because we've done it.

Stevo, if your properties were connected, then you would pay the charges. Duh. Just because they are vacant doesn't mean you wouldn't be charged. You should have had them disconnected - then no charges.