Power companies hit back at minister, saying policy vacuum led to steep bills

Australian Energy Council CEO rubbishes Angus Taylor's claim market misconduct behind high power billsPower companies have blasted back at the new energy minister Angus Taylor, declaring the main reason electricity prices are high for Australian consumers is a decade-long vacuum in energy policy - not misconduct in the market.Sarah McNamara, the chief executive of the Australian Energy Council, a group representing Australia's major gas and electricity companies, told Guardian Australia the apparent shelving of the national energy guarantee as the prelude to last week's bitter Liberal party leadership fight would exacerbate the very problems the new minister says he wants to solve. Continue reading...