Some Aussie families are being hit so hard by rising power bills they view buying fruit as a luxury.

A cost of living study revealed 80 per cent of respondents have changed the way they live to get by, cutting down on buying clothes and dining out.

Liberal MP Craig Kelly isn’t surprised by the findings.

“Every day I hear stories of people struggling to pay their electricity bills,” he tells Ben Fordham.

“I was with one of our major charities on the weekend and they now say the biggest expense that they have, as a charity, is helping people with their electricity bills.”

The federal member for Hughes says a “mad anti-coal ideology” is to blame.

“We have energy poverty in this country.

“We’ve got to wake up to the effect and the hardship that this anti-coal ideology is having… on those most vulnerable in our society.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview