The Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) has announced a nearly 30 percent increase in power prices for regional Queensland, making it the highest increase across the nation. According to the QCA, households in regional Queensland will see an average increase of $429 or 28.7 percent on their annual power bill, while small business owners can expect a $511 increase or 26.8 percent. The price hike is attributed to an increase in wholesale energy costs from the National Electricity Market (NEM), due to factors such as higher coal and gas prices and uncertainty around coal-fired power plants. The explosion at the Callide C power plant in central Queensland and the ensuing outages also contributed to the price increase. To provide some relief to vulnerable households and small businesses, the Queensland government has introduced a rebate program. However, organizations such as the Power Together coalition are calling for additional measures to address cost-of-living pressures, such as installing solar panels on public housing, offering electricity rebates, and introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties. Similar price increases were announced for New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, though these did not exceed the rise in regional Queensland.