❓ Opposition questions the Treasurer about conflicting statements regarding electricity price increases. The Treasurer avoids directly answering, instead attacking the opposition's energy policy.
AnsweredQoN 452Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY PRICE INCREASES
452. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Premier's
comments a few minutes ago regarding moderate increases in electricity prices
across the forward estimates and his commitment on the 7.30 WA report last week in relation to future electricity price
rises in which he said, ''We can now look forward to only modest
increases at around the inflation rate or maybe a little more.''
(1) Is the Premier correct, or is
the budget correct?
(2) Given that
the state budget is predicated on a 25 per cent increase in electricity prices
over the next three years, what would be the cost of the Premier's
commitment?
(3) Will this cost be reflected in
the Government Mid-year Financial
Projections Statement ?
452. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Premier's
comments a few minutes ago regarding moderate increases in electricity prices
across the forward estimates and his commitment on the 7.30 WA report last week in relation to future electricity price
rises in which he said, ''We can now look forward to only modest
increases at around the inflation rate or maybe a little more.''
(1) Is the Premier correct, or is
the budget correct?
(2) Given that
the state budget is predicated on a 25 per cent increase in electricity prices
over the next three years, what would be the cost of the Premier's
commitment?
(3) Will this cost be reflected in
the Government Mid-year Financial
Projections Statement ?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I
know why the opposition is asking these questions about where energy prices are
heading because I saw its commitment to Labor's future energy price
regime in Western Australia when it introduced —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : How is your train?
Ms
R. Saffioti : How's yours?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : Labor released its policy to get rid of the TEC—or
the tariff equalisation fund that flows into the tariff equalisation
contribution levy. That policy would cost $600 million and see taxpayers
funding a $200 million gift to big businesses in Western Australia? That is
exactly —
Mr
M. McGowan : Do you disagree with it?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : I do not mind where the Leader of the Opposition goes on
holiday, but do not buy your new suits there!
That is why the opposition is
interested in electricity prices. When we drill down and look at the document,
what Labor's new energy pricing regime says is this —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : What is it? Have you spoken to the Premier?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : Loosely speaking, next year it will go up by about five per
cent, and then it will be brought down by about seven per cent, and then the
year after that it will go up by 10 per cent, and the year after by another 10
per cent. The Labor Party's policy around energy prices is this —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : What are you going to do? Tell us.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I will give you an opportunity to ask a
supplementary question; I will not provide you or other members an opportunity
to yell across the chamber. On that basis, I formally call the member for
Cannington for the second time today and the member for West Swan for the first
time.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : The reason the member for Victoria Park is interested is that
the Labor Party is now on the public record as committing to an 18 per cent
increase in the price of electricity for households across the next three
years. That is on the record and is in the Labor Party's policy
document. I have read it a few times.
Ms
R. Saffioti : It is your budget.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : The member still has not got her train. I know why she is
angry.
Point of Order
Mr
B.S. WYATT : My question was fairly specific. I am asking the Treasurer to
tell us what the cost of the commitment made by the Premier will be, and I ask
that you, Mr Speaker, draw the Treasurer back to the question I actually asked
him.
The SPEAKER : I will provide the
Treasurer with that opportunity.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
In answer to that question, the Premier has already answered it; that is, there
are forecast indications of where energy prices will go across the forward
estimates. In relation to that, I would not mind reflecting on what the energy
prices were when the Labor Party was in government. My recollection is that it
was 10 per cent followed by 10 per cent followed by 10 per cent out to infinity
and beyond. That was the Buzz Lightyear approach to energy prices. We will
reflect on energy prices, as we do as part of every budget cycle. The one thing
that the people of WA know is that last year it was three and a half per cent
and the year before it was five per cent.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
know why the opposition is asking these questions about where energy prices are
heading because I saw its commitment to Labor's future energy price
regime in Western Australia when it introduced —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : How is your train?
Ms
R. Saffioti : How's yours?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : Labor released its policy to get rid of the TEC—or
the tariff equalisation fund that flows into the tariff equalisation
contribution levy. That policy would cost $600 million and see taxpayers
funding a $200 million gift to big businesses in Western Australia? That is
exactly —
Mr
M. McGowan : Do you disagree with it?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : I do not mind where the Leader of the Opposition goes on
holiday, but do not buy your new suits there!
That is why the opposition is
interested in electricity prices. When we drill down and look at the document,
what Labor's new energy pricing regime says is this —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : What is it? Have you spoken to the Premier?
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : Loosely speaking, next year it will go up by about five per
cent, and then it will be brought down by about seven per cent, and then the
year after that it will go up by 10 per cent, and the year after by another 10
per cent. The Labor Party's policy around energy prices is this —
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : What are you going to do? Tell us.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I will give you an opportunity to ask a
supplementary question; I will not provide you or other members an opportunity
to yell across the chamber. On that basis, I formally call the member for
Cannington for the second time today and the member for West Swan for the first
time.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : The reason the member for Victoria Park is interested is that
the Labor Party is now on the public record as committing to an 18 per cent
increase in the price of electricity for households across the next three
years. That is on the record and is in the Labor Party's policy
document. I have read it a few times.
Ms
R. Saffioti : It is your budget.
Mr
T.R. BUSWELL : The member still has not got her train. I know why she is
angry.
Point of Order
Mr
B.S. WYATT : My question was fairly specific. I am asking the Treasurer to
tell us what the cost of the commitment made by the Premier will be, and I ask
that you, Mr Speaker, draw the Treasurer back to the question I actually asked
him.
The SPEAKER : I will provide the
Treasurer with that opportunity.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
In answer to that question, the Premier has already answered it; that is, there
are forecast indications of where energy prices will go across the forward
estimates. In relation to that, I would not mind reflecting on what the energy
prices were when the Labor Party was in government. My recollection is that it
was 10 per cent followed by 10 per cent followed by 10 per cent out to infinity
and beyond. That was the Buzz Lightyear approach to energy prices. We will
reflect on energy prices, as we do as part of every budget cycle. The one thing
that the people of WA know is that last year it was three and a half per cent
and the year before it was five per cent.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
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