❓ Ms. Davies questions the Minister for Energy about support for small businesses on submeters ineligible for the WA small business tariff credit. The Minister acknowledges the issue, highlights existing relief measures, and mentions future plans for embedded network customers.
AnsweredQoN 246Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
SMALL BUSINESS — ELECTRICITY TARIFF CREDIT
246. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to small businesses that are
unable to access the $2 500 WA small business tariff credit as they are on a submeter
and therefore ineligible for this payment.
(1) Has the state
government received representation from these businesses or their landlords
asking for them to be included in the scheme?
(2) What will the
state government do to ensure these small businesses can access much-needed
relief during these difficult times?
SMALL BUSINESS — ELECTRICITY TARIFF CREDIT
246. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to small businesses that are
unable to access the $2 500 WA small business tariff credit as they are on a submeter
and therefore ineligible for this payment.
(1) Has the state
government received representation from these businesses or their landlords
asking for them to be included in the scheme?
(2) What will the
state government do to ensure these small businesses can access much-needed
relief during these difficult times?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) In respect of the second part of the question, a range
of relief is available for businesses in Western Australia. Some of that
comes from the commonwealth government, including grants and the massive
JobKeeper payments. The state government has
not been idle either, and in addition has provided payroll tax and other support to small businesses in this state, and will continue to do so. Over
$1.7 billion will be spent by the government of Western Australia in response
to the COVID-19 outbreak.
In
respect of the first part of the question, people who buy their energy from
embedded networks, also called microgrids,
receive a range of benefits from purchasing their electricity from somebody
other than Synergy. We do not have any visibility of the cost structure
for those businesses, and of course those businesses do not have all the
distribution costs that are borne by customers of Synergy. Because we have no
visibility of those arrangements, we cannot
provide any direct assistance to them. Because Synergy is owned by the people of Western Australia, one of the great opportunities we have is that we
are able to directly support Synergy customers. However, there is good news.
Well in advance of the COVID-19 outbreak, I asked Energy
Policy WA to examine options for customers with embedded networks to give them
choice of retailer, because at the moment
they do not have that choice. Naturally, that piece of work has been set aside as it is not directly related to COVID-19 , but it is quite
well advanced. I expect that once the COVID-19 situation
is sufficiently resolved, we will get Energy Policy WA back to its core duties.
I would expect it to complete that piece of work and come forward with options
for people in embedded networks to give them more flexibility in the future.
of relief is available for businesses in Western Australia. Some of that
comes from the commonwealth government, including grants and the massive
JobKeeper payments. The state government has
not been idle either, and in addition has provided payroll tax and other support to small businesses in this state, and will continue to do so. Over
$1.7 billion will be spent by the government of Western Australia in response
to the COVID-19 outbreak.
In
respect of the first part of the question, people who buy their energy from
embedded networks, also called microgrids,
receive a range of benefits from purchasing their electricity from somebody
other than Synergy. We do not have any visibility of the cost structure
for those businesses, and of course those businesses do not have all the
distribution costs that are borne by customers of Synergy. Because we have no
visibility of those arrangements, we cannot
provide any direct assistance to them. Because Synergy is owned by the people of Western Australia, one of the great opportunities we have is that we
are able to directly support Synergy customers. However, there is good news.
Well in advance of the COVID-19 outbreak, I asked Energy
Policy WA to examine options for customers with embedded networks to give them
choice of retailer, because at the moment
they do not have that choice. Naturally, that piece of work has been set aside as it is not directly related to COVID-19 , but it is quite
well advanced. I expect that once the COVID-19 situation
is sufficiently resolved, we will get Energy Policy WA back to its core duties.
I would expect it to complete that piece of work and come forward with options
for people in embedded networks to give them more flexibility in the future.
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