❓ Hon. Kate Doust questions the Minister for Energy regarding Synergy's decision to change electricity bills from total bill comparisons to unit consumption comparisons. The Minister, Hon. Peter Collier, responds that the change was based on community feedback and he is not convinced a return to the old method is necessary.
AnsweredQoN 906Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
synergy — domestic bill information
I refer to changes in Synergy’s electricity bills, which now show unit consumption comparisons instead of total bill comparisons. (1) Was this change brought before the minister for approval? (2) Does the minister acknowledge that these changes have caused confusion for many consumers who have previously relied on total bill comparisons to formulate their household budgets? (3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER
I refer to changes in Synergy’s electricity bills, which now show unit consumption comparisons instead of total bill comparisons. (1) Was this change brought before the minister for approval? (2) Does the minister acknowledge that these changes have caused confusion for many consumers who have previously relied on total bill comparisons to formulate their household budgets? (3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(1) Was this change brought before the minister for approval? (2) Does the minister acknowledge that these changes have caused confusion for many consumers who have previously relied on total bill comparisons to formulate their household budgets? (3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(2) Does the minister acknowledge that these changes have caused confusion for many consumers who have previously relied on total bill comparisons to formulate their household budgets? (3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(1) Was this change brought before the minister for approval? (2) Does the minister acknowledge that these changes have caused confusion for many consumers who have previously relied on total bill comparisons to formulate their household budgets? (3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(2) Does the minister acknowledge that these changes have caused confusion for many consumers who have previously relied on total bill comparisons to formulate their household budgets? (3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(3) Will the minister undertake to restore total bill comparisons to Synergy bills as a matter of urgency? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
(1)-(3) I was not consulted. Since the question was asked in the other place yesterday, I have sought some understanding of why the decision was made. The change to unit comparisons was made as a direct result of focus group consultation and community feedback. The unit comparisons reflect the units of electricity consumed for the current bill compared with the units consumed for the previous bill. It enables people to see whether they have increased their electricity use or decreased it. I have been advised that is what the community wants. As I said, it is a direct result of community feedback and focus group consultation. I continue to be in consultation with Synergy. I cannot make a commitment to return to the former method of dollar comparisons at this stage; I am not convinced that it is necessary.
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