'Heat a luxury I can't afford': Residents looking for alternatives

Mr Tehan said he was shocked to hear from a number of Warrnambool constituents recently that despite being employed, their wage was not enough to cover basic expenses.

"What I'm hearing is that some people are now preparing to go without heat over the winter and are looking at ways to keep warm - for instance blankets or extra layers of clothing to keep their power bills down," he said.

Mr Tehan said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese owed Australians an apology for his broken election promise of a $275 reduction in electricity bills.

He said the draft Default Market Offer revealed the federal government had not met its promise.

"Labor has fallen short of its election commitment by up to $1000 for every day households," Mr Tehan said.

"In Victoria most households have been hit by an increase of $550 - not a decrease of $275."

Mr Tehan said Mr Albanese mentioned the election promise on 96 occasions in the lead up to the election.

However, he said he he had not answered questions on why he had not met his promise.

"The facts are coming from the Default Market Offer - this is the government admitting through its own regulatory body that it has failed," Mr Tehan said.

He said he was concerned about Australians heading into the cooler months.

"The feedback I'm getting is that the cost of living crisis is really starting to bite," Mr Tehan said.

Victorian MP Sarah Henderson also expressed concerns about the rising cost of electricity.

"Labor was elected on a promise that it would reduce household electricity bills by $275 but instead Victorians are now paying among the most expensive bills in the world," Ms Henderson said.

She said from the five power networks covering Victoria's metropolitan and regional areas shows average annual bills had surged to between $1285 and $1519.

"This is simply unaffordable for residents in my community who are already suffering under Labor's out of control cost-of-living-crisis," Ms Henderson said.

A spokesperson for Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the latest figures from the Australian Energy Regular showed power prices were falling.

"Only the Albanese Government has a plan to deliver the lowest cost, reliable energy Australians need - unlike Peter Dutton's No-Olition," the spokesman said.

"They changed the law to hide a 20 per cent energy price hike before the election and disgracefully voted against $3 billion in energy bill relief.

"If Dan Tehan had this way, locals in Wannon would be paying hundreds of dollars more in energy bills."