We hear a lot about power prices in Australia: the electricity market is "broken" and needs a "laser-like focus" to fix. But was it always this way?
Throughout the 1980s, '90s, and most of the 2000s, electricity prices tracked fairly closely to general consumer price trends.
In the past decade, however, electricity has shot off the charts. Since 2008 power prices have risen 117 per cent, more than four times the average price increase across sectors.
There was only one brief reprieve in 2014 after the carbon tax was repealed, but that hip pocket relief was short-lived.
What should I read next?
- How you can actually save money on your power bill
- Here's how the consumer watchdog thinks prices can be slashed
- Analysis: Australia has gold-plated electricity that consumers can't afford
- Analysis: Energy policy failure to blame for spiralling electricity bills
Want more charts?
This is part of a new daily series featuring charts which tell a story. If you know of some data that fits the bill, we'd love to hear about it.
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