❓ Opposition Leader Dr. Nahan questions the Premier about the impact of electricity price rises on pensioners. The Premier deflects, blaming the previous government's financial mismanagement and highlighting increased energy assistance payments.
AnsweredQoN 565Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY PRICES — PENSIONERS
565. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Did the Minister for Energy make the
Premier aware of the devastating impact that his government's
electricity price rises would have on pensioners—namely, a 30 per cent
increase in their electricity bills in a single year?
565. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
Did the Minister for Energy make the
Premier aware of the devastating impact that his government's
electricity price rises would have on pensioners—namely, a 30 per cent
increase in their electricity bills in a single year?
AnswerView source ↗
I am aware of significant increases
in the price of electricity—it took place over the course of the eight
years leading up to the election of our government—of around 90 per cent.
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I think it is a bit rich for the Leader of the Opposition to
come in here complaining about this issue considering what the Liberal Party
did when it was in government.
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The increase in the first year of our government is
significantly less than those under the first few years of the former
government, but of course we have to deal with the financial legacy we were
left, which is the worst set of books in the history of the country that you
created!
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : It was the worst set of books in the history of the country
that the Liberal and National Parties in this state created. We had to make
some difficult decisions during the budget process. But I do note that our way
of dealing with it was to try to share the burden across the community. What
did the Liberal Party do? It voted it down. It used its numbers in the upper
house to vote down a very justifiable increase in the gold royalty. The Labor
government was elected with a significant majority in this house and it was
also elected with a far greater vote than the Liberal and National Parties in
the upper house—a far greater vote. If we add up the votes of Labor,
the Nationals and the Greens of the upper house, it is far greater than the
votes of all the other parties in the upper house, yet the Liberal Party used its
numbers to vote down that justifiable initiative. The opposition comes in here
complaining about one aspect, yet it allows a very prosperous industry, which
the member for Cottesloe says is getting away with murder, to get away with no
increase in its royalty and says that that is very justifiable. I do note in
the budget we increased the energy assistance payment—the EAP—to
$300, which helps concession card holders. That is an additional $66, or a 28 per
cent increase. We increased funding for the hardship utility grant scheme to
$20 million. We increased the annual HUGS limit to $962 above the twenty-sixth
parallel and to $581 below that. We also reintroduced funding for financial
counsellors that the former Liberal–National government cut.
in the price of electricity—it took place over the course of the eight
years leading up to the election of our government—of around 90 per cent.
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I think it is a bit rich for the Leader of the Opposition to
come in here complaining about this issue considering what the Liberal Party
did when it was in government.
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The increase in the first year of our government is
significantly less than those under the first few years of the former
government, but of course we have to deal with the financial legacy we were
left, which is the worst set of books in the history of the country that you
created!
Dr
M.D. Nahan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : It was the worst set of books in the history of the country
that the Liberal and National Parties in this state created. We had to make
some difficult decisions during the budget process. But I do note that our way
of dealing with it was to try to share the burden across the community. What
did the Liberal Party do? It voted it down. It used its numbers in the upper
house to vote down a very justifiable increase in the gold royalty. The Labor
government was elected with a significant majority in this house and it was
also elected with a far greater vote than the Liberal and National Parties in
the upper house—a far greater vote. If we add up the votes of Labor,
the Nationals and the Greens of the upper house, it is far greater than the
votes of all the other parties in the upper house, yet the Liberal Party used its
numbers to vote down that justifiable initiative. The opposition comes in here
complaining about one aspect, yet it allows a very prosperous industry, which
the member for Cottesloe says is getting away with murder, to get away with no
increase in its royalty and says that that is very justifiable. I do note in
the budget we increased the energy assistance payment—the EAP—to
$300, which helps concession card holders. That is an additional $66, or a 28 per
cent increase. We increased funding for the hardship utility grant scheme to
$20 million. We increased the annual HUGS limit to $962 above the twenty-sixth
parallel and to $581 below that. We also reintroduced funding for financial
counsellors that the former Liberal–National government cut.
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