Government defends energy price rises as PWC scandal deepens

Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen. Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH/AAPIMAGE

The Australian Energy Regulator has confirmed people will see a spike in electricity prices, but the government says its intervention has prevented the worst of the increase. Senate Estimates has also grilled government officials over the leak of confidential tax information by a former PwC employee.

Australian households are set to see power bills spike as much as $600 after the energy regulator set new ceiling prices.
From the 1st of July, residential customers can expect price hikes ranging from 19.6 per cent to 25 per cent, while small businesses may see increases of 14.7 per cent to 29 per cent.
The government is also monitoring allegations that a former employee of accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers allegedly used confidential Commonwealth information to help multinational tech companies evade tax.