❓ Mr. Nalder questions the Premier's refusal to allow retail competition in the electricity market, arguing it prevents households from selling excess solar energy. The Premier defends the current system, claiming competition would raise prices and disadvantage regional areas, while accusing the Liberal Party of planning to privatise electricity assets.
AnsweredQoN 956Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RETAIL ELECTRICITY MARKET
— COMPETITION
956. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the Liberal Party's
plan for cheaper power bills.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.C. NALDER : I refer to
the Liberal Party's plan for cheaper power bills.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members,
please! Start again, member.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Premier, I refer
to the Liberal Party's plan for cheaper power bills. Can the Premier
confirm his refusal to allow retail
competition, when Synergy's monopoly is preventing more than 300 000
households from selling more energy from their solar panels to
innovative, clean electricity retailers?
— COMPETITION
956. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the Liberal Party's
plan for cheaper power bills.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr D.C. NALDER : I refer to
the Liberal Party's plan for cheaper power bills.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members,
please! Start again, member.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Premier, I refer
to the Liberal Party's plan for cheaper power bills. Can the Premier
confirm his refusal to allow retail
competition, when Synergy's monopoly is preventing more than 300 000
households from selling more energy from their solar panels to
innovative, clean electricity retailers?
AnswerView source ↗
No, I cannot confirm that. What I find
about the member for Bateman is that his knowledge of these matters is not
strong; it is very shaky. As I have pointed out on numerous occasions, members
opposite had eight and a half years to do
something about this if they wanted to. The reason they did not is that they
knew, when they were in government , that
in order to do what the member is saying, prices had to be put up. That is the
advice every government has always received about these matters. Prices
have to be put up. Then, of course, what members opposite will do is allow for
cherrypicking of customers, especially in the regions. That is exactly what
will happen. Regional power prices will go through the roof, if you excuse the
pun, Mr Speaker, if the Liberal Party's plan comes to fruition.
As we know, obviously, Liberal
Party members—it is in their DNA—want to privatise all these
electricity assets. It is part of that as
well. Do not worry; we are more than happy to debate this. I note that the
Leader of the Opposition was out there the other day calling for trading
from eight o'clock on a Sunday morning, which would devastate small
businesses across the state and devastate the lifestyles of families all over
the state. Do not worry; we are happy to tell small business that Labor is the
party for small business in this state. We are the party for the regions because we are standing up for regional people
against these plans that will put up their prices. We are ensuring that major utilities remain in public ownership. We can
see what happened to our good friends in New South Wales who sold it all
off. What has happened to their debt? It is skyrocketing! Of course, it was
meant to cauterise the debt increases in New
South Wales, but what has happened? It was the opposite. That is exactly what
happens under the Liberal Party in both New South Wales and Western Australia.
We look forward to reminding everyone of that fact every single day for the
next four months.
about the member for Bateman is that his knowledge of these matters is not
strong; it is very shaky. As I have pointed out on numerous occasions, members
opposite had eight and a half years to do
something about this if they wanted to. The reason they did not is that they
knew, when they were in government , that
in order to do what the member is saying, prices had to be put up. That is the
advice every government has always received about these matters. Prices
have to be put up. Then, of course, what members opposite will do is allow for
cherrypicking of customers, especially in the regions. That is exactly what
will happen. Regional power prices will go through the roof, if you excuse the
pun, Mr Speaker, if the Liberal Party's plan comes to fruition.
As we know, obviously, Liberal
Party members—it is in their DNA—want to privatise all these
electricity assets. It is part of that as
well. Do not worry; we are more than happy to debate this. I note that the
Leader of the Opposition was out there the other day calling for trading
from eight o'clock on a Sunday morning, which would devastate small
businesses across the state and devastate the lifestyles of families all over
the state. Do not worry; we are happy to tell small business that Labor is the
party for small business in this state. We are the party for the regions because we are standing up for regional people
against these plans that will put up their prices. We are ensuring that major utilities remain in public ownership. We can
see what happened to our good friends in New South Wales who sold it all
off. What has happened to their debt? It is skyrocketing! Of course, it was
meant to cauterise the debt increases in New
South Wales, but what has happened? It was the opposite. That is exactly what
happens under the Liberal Party in both New South Wales and Western Australia.
We look forward to reminding everyone of that fact every single day for the
next four months.
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