Letter to Ms Lyn Breuer MP from Yanni Athanasiadis Umoona Opal Mine & Museum Coober Pedy re: Discrimination in Electricity Tariffs imposed on Regional South Australians

Mrs Breuer,
 
I tried to call your office a few times but with no luck, you must have been very busy.

As a concerned resident and business owner in Coober Pedy I thought to write this email to you as you are the elected local representative.
 
Twelve or thirteen towns with the biggest being Coober Pedy are going to be affected severely
with the cutting of approximately $1.3m from our electricity subsidy.

Mr. O’Brien said on radio that people in Adelaide should not have to subsidise the outback for their electricity.  But the outback subsidises a $400m stadium development in Adelaide that we will never use or may never see. 

My electricity bill for last year to June 30th 2010 was $30,366, my water bill was $19,825. If electricity goes up, water will go up and food will go up, it’s a snowball effect.  In fact, based on the new tariff, my electricity bill will be $52,000.
 
It was with great disappointment to hear Minister O’Brien having such a negative attitude and firm position for something that is devastating for the whole of Coober Pedy and the outback region.
There will be businesses that will not survive, therefore people will lose jobs.  If Mr O’Brien was a small business owner as he proudly said on the radio, how he would feel if overnight he had to pay double for his electricity?
 
Mrs. Breuer, we need your help. You are our local representative and you are the Speaker of the House, make them listen to our voice.
 
Lyn, we are not going away, this is our livelihood.  We will pursue this as far as it goes, so we are not discriminated against.
 
Kind Regards,
Yanni Athanasiadis
Umoona Opal Mine & Museum
P.O. Box 372
COOBER PEDY  SA  5723
Australia
Ph:     08 86725288
Fax:    08 86725731
Email:  umoona@ozemail.com.au
Web:   www.umoonaopalmine.com.au