❓ Question on Notice regarding the Premier's guarantee of uninterrupted electricity and gas supplies to households following the Apache Energy gas plant explosion, and whether households will bear increased costs. The Premier avoids giving a 'cast-iron guarantee'.
AnsweredQoN 278Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
APACHE ENERGY GAS PLANT EXPLOSION — DOMESTIC ELECTRICITY AND GAS SUPPLIES
My question relates to the welfare of domestic gas users. I refer to the Premier’s media statement on Sunday 8 June — . . . there is no threat to electricity or gas supplies for households . . . (1) Will the Premier direct the Parliament, and therefore the householders of WA, to the policy, protocol or, indeed, plan that provides a guarantee that their access to electricity or gas supplies will not be disrupted following this crisis or possible future incidents? (2) Will the Premier promise WA household consumers, through this Parliament, that they will not wear any increased cost of electricity and gas as a result of the explosion on Varanus Island? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
My question relates to the welfare of domestic gas users. I refer to the Premier’s media statement on Sunday 8 June — . . . there is no threat to electricity or gas supplies for households . . . (1) Will the Premier direct the Parliament, and therefore the householders of WA, to the policy, protocol or, indeed, plan that provides a guarantee that their access to electricity or gas supplies will not be disrupted following this crisis or possible future incidents? (2) Will the Premier promise WA household consumers, through this Parliament, that they will not wear any increased cost of electricity and gas as a result of the explosion on Varanus Island? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
(2) Will the Premier promise WA household consumers, through this Parliament, that they will not wear any increased cost of electricity and gas as a result of the explosion on Varanus Island? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
(1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
(2) Will the Premier promise WA household consumers, through this Parliament, that they will not wear any increased cost of electricity and gas as a result of the explosion on Varanus Island? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
(1)-(2) The member has asked me to give an open-ended, cast-iron guarantee that householders will never—I think he said “following this incident”—face impacts on electricity supplies. Let us be reasonable about this, shall we? Nobody can give the householders of Western Australia a guarantee that electricity supplies will never be impacted upon by anything. Let us be logical about the situation. The best information we have at the moment is that if we continue to manage this issue reasonably and well, the likelihood of impacts on domestic customers—that is, people in their own homes—is very, very small; it is negligible. However, there may be impacts that we have not yet foreseen. We are trying to make sure as best we can that the 300 terajoules of gas a day are replaced with or substituted by other means. I do not believe we will be able to completely close that gap in the next couple of months. We have asked the North West Shelf whether it is possible for it to provide more gas into the pipeline than it normally provides, bearing in mind that its production, as we understand it, is fully contracted. It has said yes, and it has already been able to provide up to an additional 100 terajoules of gas a day—but not every day—into the pipeline. We are trying to make sure as best we can that we conserve gas consumption across the board so that that preservation of gas can liberate — Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Dr G.G. Jacobs interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : — supplies to businesses and industries that need gas not only for energy through electricity, but also as part of their processes. We know about the building industry, and we have heard about some of the laundries that use gas burners and so on. That is a process that everybody is working towards. We are also fast-tracking work on Kwinana 1, which is, I think, a 120-megawatt power station, which has been offline for routine maintenance, so that it is back online. Double shifts are working there to ensure that that power station is back online within two to two and a half weeks. Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : What about Collie A, which conked out last week? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Collie A had to be closed down because of a rotor blade separation. Is anybody suggesting that we should have tried to keep it running? It had to be closed down. The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The other dynamic that is having an impact on this scenario is world-record diesel prices. At the very point at which we are trying to substitute some gas-fired electricity with diesel—liquid fuels—we are facing world-record prices for diesel. Those alternative energy costs are higher than they might have been in other scenarios. That is the reality of that. Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : Is the government prepared to underwrite, if required, the cost of tankers of diesel? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : There is no indication whatsoever from the suppliers that that will be necessary. The last thing that anybody should be doing—I am afraid that the Leader of the Opposition is getting himself into this position— Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : No; I’m just asking out of interest. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know what the Leader of the Opposition is asking. The Liberal Party opposition is putting up its hand and saying that it will underwrite all the costs — Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, it is. It is saying that it will underwrite all the costs and pay compensation to all the businesses that are losing money. Of course, the government is the custodian — Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : Yes, yes, yes. Where’s your state energy plan if you’re the custodian? The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order! Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : Why haven’t you developed a state energy plan in seven years? The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Anybody who thinks there is no energy policy in Western Australia has been living in a parallel universe. Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The CCI — Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : They are writing the plan for you. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order and warn the Leader of the Opposition that he has been called to order three times. Persistent, continuous, non-stop interjections are highly offensive and disorderly and there will not be any more warnings. I will then probably have huge control issues when I throw out the Leader of the Opposition. I do not want to do that and I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition wants to stay in here. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I announced some time ago—I think it was in this chamber; and, if not, publicly and then in this chamber—what was happening with domestic electricity prices. I said that there would be significant increases next year—2009. We gave commitments on that. Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett : The policy was to reduce it. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No; on this, as on other issues, the member for Cottesloe’s memory is faulty. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Correct. Has any member, other than government members, noticed that in the meantime world diesel prices and liquid fuel prices have gone up? They have not even quintupled; they have sextupled in comparison with what they were three or four years ago. The scenario for the energy industry in Western Australia is vastly different from what it was at that time. If we had not done what we did, domestic consumers would be paying a lot more than what they are now. It was, as I recall, to secure Liberal Party support — Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr T. Buswell : No. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It was. It was to secure Liberal Party support for the disaggregation of Western Power that we gave the commitment that we would maintain flat prices on domestic energy supplies. Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett : How stupid was that? The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Cottesloe! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It is something we had to agree on because the member for Cottesloe’s party demanded it of us. Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Several members interjected. Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr C.J. Barnett : A stupid, stupid government. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Cottesloe to order for the second time. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I think I have answered the question.
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