Karen Somerville was perplexed when she received her latest 60-day gas bill, with the fee doubling from the same time last year. 

Ms Somerville said the jump from $750 to $1500 came despite minimal extra usage.

“Usage certainly hasn’t doubled,” she said.

It comes as Member for Lowan Emma Kealy reported the state government to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for promoting false and misleading information to Horsham residents on its Energy Compare website. 

Ms Kealy is concerned the city’s only gas supplier, EnergyAustralia, is taking advantage of a supply monopoly in the area. 

She has asked the commission investigate any evidence of price gouging, and the marketing practices of other gas supply companies that might represent false and misleading advertising.

Ms Somerville questioned why there was no competition in the Wimmera.

“How is it Melbourne and other regions have choice of suppliers, access to deals and competitive prices and the Wimmera doesn’t?” she said.

Ms Somerville said EnergyAustralia did not offer the same plans and discounts to Wimmera customers as they did in other areas where there was competition.

She said they only offered a standard plan in the Wimmera.

Ms Somerville said a friend – whose gas bill was also double the amount from last year – had called the company and been told they could get a better deal.

However, when the person realised where her friend lived, the friend was told there were no better deals in the Horsham area.

“We don’t have the right to that chance,” Ms Somerville said.

Ms Somerville said she had a gas heating system installed in her home because she thought gas would be cheaper than electricity. However she is now looking at replacing the system.

An EnergyAustralia spokesperson told the Mail-Times the company encouraged anyone having difficulty with paying their bills to contact them before the due date so they could set up a payment plan.

They said EnergyAustralia provided gas to household customers at “roughly the cost of supply”.