❓ Question regarding the Treasurer's sympathy for households affected by significant increases in electricity and water tariffs, and what actions will be taken to address the issue. The Treasurer acknowledges the hardship but highlights the financial implications of artificially suppressing prices.
AnsweredQoN 36Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER AND ELECTRICITY TARIFFS — COST REFLECTIVITY
I have a supplementary question. Does the Treasurer have any sympathy at all for the households that are being crippled by the 46 per cent increases in electricity and the 30 per cent increases in water; and, if so, what is he going to do about it? Mr C.C. PORTER
I have a supplementary question. Does the Treasurer have any sympathy at all for the households that are being crippled by the 46 per cent increases in electricity and the 30 per cent increases in water; and, if so, what is he going to do about it? Mr C.C. PORTER
AnswerView source ↗
Of course I have sympathy for those people; everyone on this side of the house does. But those are the same people who, if a price increase of only five per cent were to be actuated over the next four years, would, as taxpayers, be paying $1.38 billion to the electricity utilities. It is not as if they will be entire winners through artificially depressed prices. Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: Of course I have sympathy for those people; everyone on this side of the house does. But those are the same people who, if a price increase of only five per cent were to be actuated over the next four years, would, as taxpayers, be paying $1.38 billion to the electricity utilities. It is not as if they will be entire winners through artificially depressed prices. Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Of course I have sympathy for those people; everyone on this side of the house does. But those are the same people who, if a price increase of only five per cent were to be actuated over the next four years, would, as taxpayers, be paying $1.38 billion to the electricity utilities. It is not as if they will be entire winners through artificially depressed prices. Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: Of course I have sympathy for those people; everyone on this side of the house does. But those are the same people who, if a price increase of only five per cent were to be actuated over the next four years, would, as taxpayers, be paying $1.38 billion to the electricity utilities. It is not as if they will be entire winners through artificially depressed prices. Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Of course I have sympathy for those people; everyone on this side of the house does. But those are the same people who, if a price increase of only five per cent were to be actuated over the next four years, would, as taxpayers, be paying $1.38 billion to the electricity utilities. It is not as if they will be entire winners through artificially depressed prices. Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : They’re not all taxpayers, apart from anything else. Has that occurred to you or not? Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mr C.C. PORTER : The fact is that the money has to come from somewhere. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Some of them are pensioners and some of them are on disability pensions, and they are not actually taxpayers. Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
Mr C.C. PORTER : If you are a taxpayer in Western Australia, that would be $1.38 billion that could not be spent on schools, health or a range of other areas. The problem is immense and the solution is very difficult, but do we feel sympathy for people who are suffering as a result of the problem? Of course we do.
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