Mmmm speaking of being ripped off, I heard on the radio today electricity prices have increased 40% (over the past year? can't remember exactly how long) which we just put down to coal prices going through the roof.. except that the profit of electricity utilities has coincidentally substantially increased.. where is most of that money going? Straight back to the state governments so it pays to turn a blind eye, especially when you've got states like Queensland, desperately trying to get their credit rating back. And I note that yes price increases do normally reflect a supply demand imbalance, if it were responsible I'd like someone to explain where the "demand" is coming from that would generate that kind of increase over such a short period of time.
IMO we're getting ripped and there's nothing any level of government is going to do about it. State owned utilities make money for state governments which have debt to pay (unless your WA) and private utilities are still paying state government charges as well as of course the company tax that goes to the feds (who managed to rack up the biggest deficit in the countries history).
