‘Unfortunate’ the carbon tax coincided with soaring network costs, Rod Sims says

The timing of the carbon tax was “unfortunate” because it coincided with soaring electricity network costs that have underpinned increases to household bills, the head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has told a forum in Brisbane.

 Sydney rally in 2011 against the planned carbon tax.
Rod Sims says it isn’t to blame for power price rises. 

The ACCC is next month due to hand to government its final report on the electricity market. The body’s chairman, Rod Sims, said on Monday he was unable to reveal specific details but gave some hints about the direction the inquiry had taken.

Unlike the interim report, which was released last year and which charted factors that had caused bills to increase over time, the next phase would outline a “tricky” path to ultimately bringing those prices down, Sims said.

Read Ben Smee’s story from The Guardian - “‘Unfortunate’ the carbon tax coincided with soaring network costs, Rod Sims says.”