Coalition delayed news that electricity prices are set to rise until after federal election

The Morrison government delayed a key electricity pricing update until after the election, which left Australian voters in the dark over upcoming changes to their electricity bills.

But last month, the government amended regulations so the new price for the coming year would be released this Thursday.

Coalition leaders argued during the campaign that power prices were lower under their management.

A spokesperson for the outgoing energy minister Angus Taylor said he rejected the claims of a delay for political reasons.

He said since the DMO was established three years ago, more than 680,000 Australian families and small businesses were paying less on their electricity bills.

The incoming energy and climate minister, Chris Bowen, declined to comment as he was awaiting a formal swearing-in and had yet to be briefed by the department.

The default market offer also acts as a benchmark that retailers must use when advertising their electricity offers to customers. Retailers in their consultations with the AER had complained that the delayed offer date cut almost in half the time they had to inform customers of the offer before it comes into effect on 1 July.

McConnell said the Victorian increase would likely be exceeded in other states because the main fuel of its power plants, brown coal, had not risen in price as much as black coal used in Queensland and New South Wales. Even so, most plants had long-term prices locked in and so would not be faced with sharply higher costs to pass on to customers.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, electricity makes up just over 2.5% of the basket of goods used to determine consumer price inflation. Further power price increases will likely add to inflation that is now steaming ahead at the fastest pace in 13 years by some measures, prompting the Reserve Bank to lift interest rates earlier this month, with more increases very likely to come.