The NSW opposition claims a government rebate aimed at helping families with electricity bills has been "hidden" with just 7 per cent of eligible households taking up the offer.
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In 2012, former premier Barry O'Farrell announced an estimated 540,000 families would receive rebates on rising electricity bills under a shake-up of the state-owned energy sector that saw a merger of electricity distributors.
An estimated $100 million a year in cost savings was to be funnelled straight into rebates, with households with dependent children earning less than $150,000 a year to be provided $75 credit in 2012 - rising to $150 by 2014 - under the government's "family energy rebate".
In Kiama on Monday, shadow minister for energy Adam Searle said it was disgraceful that the Baird government had barely publicised the existence of the rebate to families, with just 40,000 of the eligible 540,000 families across NSW accessing it, according to the 2013-14 budget papers.
Mr Searle said that in Kiama and the Shoalhaven alone, approximately 16,314 families would be eligible to receive the rebate - but only 1141 were estimated to have applied because of the poor promotion of the scheme.
"Since the Liberals came to power in 2011, the average annual household electricity bill has risen by more than $600," Mr Searle said.
Labor candidate for Kiama Glenn Kolomeitz said he wanted mums and dads in the region to know the rebate was available "and you should be applying for it".
Kiama resident Becky Guggisberg said her family had benefited from the installation of solar panels under the federal government scheme, but electricity costs were of concern to her, as was the proposed "poles and wires" sale.
Ms Guggisberg said she had not previously heard of the family energy rebate, nor had her work colleagues, many of whom received electricity bills of $1000 a quarter.
However, when asked if the opposition would retain the rebate if elected next year Mr Searle said "we will be announcing our policies between now and the next election".
Kiama MP Gareth Ward labelled the opposition's comments as "an own goal".
He said the Coalition government introduced the rebate to ease the cost of living pressures on families created by the former Labor government, which saw a price increase of 60 per cent over five years.
Mr Ward said he had personally promoted the scheme in press releases and community newsletters.
"Once again we have another shadow minister coming to the region without a single promise or commitment for the Illawarra and criticising a scheme introduced to to offset Labor's appalling administration," Mr Ward said.
Eligible families can apply for the rebate here.
