We had a brief respite when “The Jolly Roger” service station operated in Dobney Avenue over twenty years ago, and a couple of the current operators have briefly cut prices, but generally speaking Wagga continues to suffer overpriced fuel. 

But while we’ve all been mesmerised by petrol prices, an even bigger rip-off has been taking place - electricity.

On Friday afternoon I had one of those soliciting phone calls, this time about power bills. And no, it wasn’t one of those foreign women reading from a script in broken English. This time it was an Australian voice. I almost hung up, but he quickly said that 16 per cent could come off my bill. I listened, waiting for the catch.

Some years ago, I had one of those “helpful” calls from Telstra, offering to refine my plan, to give me the best price. What sounded all right on the phone cost much more because a number of money-saving features were not in the new plan, so now I insist on seeing any new plan in writing before signing.

So once bitten, I asked the electricity salesman if the new plan could be emailed so that I could compare details. It was a qualified “Yes”, but only if I agreed to the new plan over the phone, and then I could exercise my statutory right to change my mind within seven days. 

I told him that I couldn’t change supplier because our electricity bill is in my wife’s name. I presume this is quite common because I was at work when our house was being built. My wife, Cheryl, was home looking after babies, so she arranged the electricity connection with the former SRCC. 

The bill has been in her name ever since, and through all the changes since the SRCC days, we have simply stayed with whichever company was sending the bill, which by now is Origin Energy.

I had the bill in my hand, fresh from talking to the cold-caller. Just for fun, I thought, I’d ring Origin and suggest that our account might be about to move. After an atrocious set of electronic messages, I finally spoke to a real person.

“Discount?” the operator answered. There was some mumbling about nine per cent, but when I said another supplier was offering 16 per cent there was no argument.

So why has our house, and probably your house, too, been paying 16 per cent more than necessary? Why are good, regular paying customers expected to beg for the discount? It made me wonder if there is a better deal out there.

If you have found a cheaper supplier, please let everyone know. A “Letter to the Editor” would be appreciated.