❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Minister for Energy on Western Power connections, linking delays to economic hardship. The Minister defends the delays as a result of a strong economy and global supply chain issues, criticising the opposition's lack of policies.
AnsweredQoN 281Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN POWER — CONNECTIONS
281. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Energy:
I have a supplementary question.
How can the minister suggest that this is a sign of a good economy when people
are going bankrupt and others are struggling to find a roof over their head?
281. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Energy:
I have a supplementary question.
How can the minister suggest that this is a sign of a good economy when people
are going bankrupt and others are struggling to find a roof over their head?
AnswerView source ↗
I am not quite sure how that
related to the answer I gave. The supplementary question should relate to the
answer. I actually provided a detailed response from Western Power explaining
to the member the action that it is taking. Instead
of representing the interests of the people the member has spoken to on this
issue, she has pivoted to politics . This is why she is not a successful
member of Parliament. She needs to start thinking about what she is doing. She
is the leader of a party with no policies. There are fewer than 700 days to the
election. Not only does the member not have any policies to present to the
people, but she is not even telling us what her policies will be about. I always say that the four-year election cycle goes
like this: in the first year you rewrite history, the second year is the gap
year , the third year you get ready, and the fourth year is the fight.
Ms L. Mettam : You're
such an expert, aren't you?
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Yes, I am
an expert on this issue!
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I spent
25 years at the heart of campaign infrastructure. That is the one thing that e verybody
knows about me. This is the year the opposition gets set.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Minister, you were very correct when you referred to the relevance of the
supplementary question. Whilst this may be a matter in which you have some
expertise, I do not think this actually relates to either the supplementary or
the main question.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : In the
end, it is like this: there is a delay because the economy is so strong that
the number of applications has doubled. That is why I say the challenge is a strong
economy. I am not the one who increased the
number of applications from 3 000 a year to 7 000 a year. Yes, Western Power,
like every other business, is having trouble
finding the equipment because there is a global shortage of manufactured
equipment caused by the pandemic and there is a shortage of skilled
labour. If we can overcome those two problems, we can shorten the time lines.
The chief executive officer of Western Power made an interesting point to me
recently. In conversation with a developer he asked, ''What are you
doing about the part of the infrastructure on your land?'' The developer
said, ''I've got real problems. I can't find anybody to
do the work.'' That is exactly the same problem that Western Power has.
This is a very difficult problem and we need a mature government to solve it.
related to the answer I gave. The supplementary question should relate to the
answer. I actually provided a detailed response from Western Power explaining
to the member the action that it is taking. Instead
of representing the interests of the people the member has spoken to on this
issue, she has pivoted to politics . This is why she is not a successful
member of Parliament. She needs to start thinking about what she is doing. She
is the leader of a party with no policies. There are fewer than 700 days to the
election. Not only does the member not have any policies to present to the
people, but she is not even telling us what her policies will be about. I always say that the four-year election cycle goes
like this: in the first year you rewrite history, the second year is the gap
year , the third year you get ready, and the fourth year is the fight.
Ms L. Mettam : You're
such an expert, aren't you?
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : Yes, I am
an expert on this issue!
Several members interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I spent
25 years at the heart of campaign infrastructure. That is the one thing that e verybody
knows about me. This is the year the opposition gets set.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Minister, you were very correct when you referred to the relevance of the
supplementary question. Whilst this may be a matter in which you have some
expertise, I do not think this actually relates to either the supplementary or
the main question.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : In the
end, it is like this: there is a delay because the economy is so strong that
the number of applications has doubled. That is why I say the challenge is a strong
economy. I am not the one who increased the
number of applications from 3 000 a year to 7 000 a year. Yes, Western Power,
like every other business, is having trouble
finding the equipment because there is a global shortage of manufactured
equipment caused by the pandemic and there is a shortage of skilled
labour. If we can overcome those two problems, we can shorten the time lines.
The chief executive officer of Western Power made an interesting point to me
recently. In conversation with a developer he asked, ''What are you
doing about the part of the infrastructure on your land?'' The developer
said, ''I've got real problems. I can't find anybody to
do the work.'' That is exactly the same problem that Western Power has.
This is a very difficult problem and we need a mature government to solve it.
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