❓ WA Premier Barnett responds to questions regarding Synergy's licence breaches, apologising for rebate errors and awaiting a full report from the Minister for Energy.
AnsweredQoN 29Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SYNERGY — LICENCE BREACHES
I refer to the decision made by the Economic Regulation Authority to cite the state’s energy retailer Synergy over more than 14 serious breaches of its licence. (1) Will the government apologise to the 7 500 low-income families wrongly denied rebates for over a year? (2) Will the government apologise to the thousands of Western Australians with late and inaccurate bills? (3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to the decision made by the Economic Regulation Authority to cite the state’s energy retailer Synergy over more than 14 serious breaches of its licence. (1) Will the government apologise to the 7 500 low-income families wrongly denied rebates for over a year? (2) Will the government apologise to the thousands of Western Australians with late and inaccurate bills? (3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(1) Will the government apologise to the 7 500 low-income families wrongly denied rebates for over a year? (2) Will the government apologise to the thousands of Western Australians with late and inaccurate bills? (3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(2) Will the government apologise to the thousands of Western Australians with late and inaccurate bills? (3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(1) Will the government apologise to the 7 500 low-income families wrongly denied rebates for over a year? (2) Will the government apologise to the thousands of Western Australians with late and inaccurate bills? (3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(2) Will the government apologise to the thousands of Western Australians with late and inaccurate bills? (3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(3) Will the government review its policy of rewarding incompetent senior managers with salary increases and bonuses? (4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(4) Will the $100 000 fine that must be paid if Synergy cannot get its house in order, despite previous warnings, be paid by taxpayers or from the pockets of incompetent executives or ministers? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
(1)–(4) I am waiting for a full report from the Minister for Energy on this matter; however, I am aware of some of the detail. I am absolutely concerned that the Economic Regulation Authority report will come down and find those breaches, and I am particularly concerned that rebates that should have been paid to people with a disability, including children on dialysis machines, were not received. They should have been. That is inexcusable and I am awaiting some advice from the Minister for Energy about that. Do I apologise? Yes, I do. As Premier of the state, I accept responsibility in that position and I think it absolutely indefensible that people who are in need of and entitled to rebates did not receive them. However, before I make any further comment, I will wait for the report from the Minister for Energy.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.