❓ Mr. Nalder questions the Premier's reluctance to introduce full retail contestability in the electricity market, citing potential consumer benefits similar to the gas market. The Premier deflects, highlighting the previous government's inaction and suggesting the opposition's plan involves electricity price increases.
AnsweredQoN 342Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY MARKET — ECONOMIC REGULATION
AUTHORITY REPORT
342. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the recent annual
performance report by the Economic Regulation Authority regarding energy
distributors and retailers, and I quote —
The increased choice of gas retailers
for residential customers has resulted in downward pressure on bills, through
the discounts on offer.
Why does the Premier continue to
kowtow to the unions by refusing to introduce choice in the electricity market?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.C. NALDER : Why does the
Premier continue to kowtow to the unions by refusing to introduce choice in the
electricity market, so that consumers can get the same benefit they have in the
gas market in order to help them offset the government's savage
increases in electricity prices?
AUTHORITY REPORT
342. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the recent annual
performance report by the Economic Regulation Authority regarding energy
distributors and retailers, and I quote —
The increased choice of gas retailers
for residential customers has resulted in downward pressure on bills, through
the discounts on offer.
Why does the Premier continue to
kowtow to the unions by refusing to introduce choice in the electricity market?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.C. NALDER : Why does the
Premier continue to kowtow to the unions by refusing to introduce choice in the
electricity market, so that consumers can get the same benefit they have in the
gas market in order to help them offset the government's savage
increases in electricity prices?
AnswerView source ↗
The member for Bateman is referring
to full retail contestability. The previous government had eight and a half
years to put that in place in Western Australia, and it did not.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I asked: what
are you doing?
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member
asked me a question, and then he does this sort of snippy interjecting the
whole way through.
Mr D.C. Nalder : You're
in government now. You keep referring to the past.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman!
Mr M. McGOWAN : He does these
ridiculous interventions every single day.
Full retail contestability was not
implemented by the last government over eight and a half years. The energy
minister for the second term of that government is sitting to the member's
left. If he did not think it was appropriate when he was in government,
considering —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I recall the
argument run by the now Leader of the Opposition, the then Minister for Energy,
that the price of electricity is below the cost of producing, so he always said
that it cannot happen.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : According to
his argument, therefore, electricity prices would have to go up significantly.
Is that what the member is arguing for? If that is what he is arguing for,
maybe he ought to be honest with the people of Western Australia that that is
the opposition's plan.
to full retail contestability. The previous government had eight and a half
years to put that in place in Western Australia, and it did not.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I asked: what
are you doing?
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member
asked me a question, and then he does this sort of snippy interjecting the
whole way through.
Mr D.C. Nalder : You're
in government now. You keep referring to the past.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman!
Mr M. McGOWAN : He does these
ridiculous interventions every single day.
Full retail contestability was not
implemented by the last government over eight and a half years. The energy
minister for the second term of that government is sitting to the member's
left. If he did not think it was appropriate when he was in government,
considering —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I recall the
argument run by the now Leader of the Opposition, the then Minister for Energy,
that the price of electricity is below the cost of producing, so he always said
that it cannot happen.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : According to
his argument, therefore, electricity prices would have to go up significantly.
Is that what the member is arguing for? If that is what he is arguing for,
maybe he ought to be honest with the people of Western Australia that that is
the opposition's plan.
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