❓ Mr. Dean asks about Simcoa's high electricity costs. Mr. Ripper acknowledges the issue, highlighting Simcoa's concerns and accusing the opposition of hindering solutions that would support local jobs and investment in the South West.
AnsweredQoN 1296Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Is the minister aware of recent comments by a senior executive of Simcoa Operations Pty Ltd at Kemerton about the crippling electricity costs experienced by the company; and, if so, what is the Government doing to address this situation? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
There is a problem in this State: it has high electricity prices compared with other States. I have given figures to the House of the extra amounts that WA businesses - large, medium and small - pay compared with other places in the country. That is the reality faced by WA businesses and residential customers. I am aware of the comments made by Jim Brosnan, the operations and public affairs general manager of Simcoa. Everyone knows that Simcoa is a high-grade silicon manufacturer and a major exporter. In the South Western Times he is quoted as saying that electricity accounted for one-third of the company’s operating costs. He went on to say - There are a significant proportion of WA small businesses which are trying to get into the export market . . . Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs. He went on to say that if the Opposition opposed the Government’s reform plans in the Parliament, it would be a disaster for the people of Western Australia. That is a plea from a south west company that produces $80 million of exports a year. It creates real investment, real growth, real jobs and real opportunities for people in the south west. I thought that Liberal members of Parliament would support local jobs. However, that does not happen in Bunbury; it happens only in Kalgoorlie. Yesterday, on Radio 6PR, the member for Kalgoorlie said - . . . when you deregulate the electricity market and you split up Western Power into its respective entities, the fact is you create more competition, you create more generators, you get more generators into the market, and that can only have a downward effect on prices. And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation. There spoke the future leader of the Liberal Party. However, sadly, for the people of the south west, that realisation has not dawned on the member for Mitchell or his colleagues. I am disappointed with the member for Mitchell, as he often likes to portray himself as a champion of the people and a member who puts his electorate before politics. I would have thought that such a member who likes to portray himself in that way would support local jobs and a local company, but he does not. He has been exposed. He has been given the chance to do the right thing. He has seen his colleague the member for Kalgoorlie support his electorate, but when the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has been given the chance to do the right thing, he has sacrificed jobs in his community and supported the interests of his own politics.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: There is a problem in this State: it has high electricity prices compared with other States. I have given figures to the House of the extra amounts that WA businesses - large, medium and small - pay compared with other places in the country. That is the reality faced by WA businesses and residential customers. I am aware of the comments made by Jim Brosnan, the operations and public affairs general manager of Simcoa. Everyone knows that Simcoa is a high-grade silicon manufacturer and a major exporter. In the South Western Times he is quoted as saying that electricity accounted for one-third of the company’s operating costs. He went on to say - There are a significant proportion of WA small businesses which are trying to get into the export market . . . Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs. He went on to say that if the Opposition opposed the Government’s reform plans in the Parliament, it would be a disaster for the people of Western Australia. That is a plea from a south west company that produces $80 million of exports a year. It creates real investment, real growth, real jobs and real opportunities for people in the south west. I thought that Liberal members of Parliament would support local jobs. However, that does not happen in Bunbury; it happens only in Kalgoorlie. Yesterday, on Radio 6PR, the member for Kalgoorlie said - . . . when you deregulate the electricity market and you split up Western Power into its respective entities, the fact is you create more competition, you create more generators, you get more generators into the market, and that can only have a downward effect on prices. And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation. There spoke the future leader of the Liberal Party. However, sadly, for the people of the south west, that realisation has not dawned on the member for Mitchell or his colleagues. I am disappointed with the member for Mitchell, as he often likes to portray himself as a champion of the people and a member who puts his electorate before politics. I would have thought that such a member who likes to portray himself in that way would support local jobs and a local company, but he does not. He has been exposed. He has been given the chance to do the right thing. He has seen his colleague the member for Kalgoorlie support his electorate, but when the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has been given the chance to do the right thing, he has sacrificed jobs in his community and supported the interests of his own politics.
There is a problem in this State: it has high electricity prices compared with other States. I have given figures to the House of the extra amounts that WA businesses - large, medium and small - pay compared with other places in the country. That is the reality faced by WA businesses and residential customers. I am aware of the comments made by Jim Brosnan, the operations and public affairs general manager of Simcoa. Everyone knows that Simcoa is a high-grade silicon manufacturer and a major exporter. In the South Western Times he is quoted as saying that electricity accounted for one-third of the company’s operating costs. He went on to say - There are a significant proportion of WA small businesses which are trying to get into the export market . . . Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs. He went on to say that if the Opposition opposed the Government’s reform plans in the Parliament, it would be a disaster for the people of Western Australia. That is a plea from a south west company that produces $80 million of exports a year. It creates real investment, real growth, real jobs and real opportunities for people in the south west. I thought that Liberal members of Parliament would support local jobs. However, that does not happen in Bunbury; it happens only in Kalgoorlie. Yesterday, on Radio 6PR, the member for Kalgoorlie said - . . . when you deregulate the electricity market and you split up Western Power into its respective entities, the fact is you create more competition, you create more generators, you get more generators into the market, and that can only have a downward effect on prices. And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation. There spoke the future leader of the Liberal Party. However, sadly, for the people of the south west, that realisation has not dawned on the member for Mitchell or his colleagues. I am disappointed with the member for Mitchell, as he often likes to portray himself as a champion of the people and a member who puts his electorate before politics. I would have thought that such a member who likes to portray himself in that way would support local jobs and a local company, but he does not. He has been exposed. He has been given the chance to do the right thing. He has seen his colleague the member for Kalgoorlie support his electorate, but when the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has been given the chance to do the right thing, he has sacrificed jobs in his community and supported the interests of his own politics.
Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs.
Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs.
And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: There is a problem in this State: it has high electricity prices compared with other States. I have given figures to the House of the extra amounts that WA businesses - large, medium and small - pay compared with other places in the country. That is the reality faced by WA businesses and residential customers. I am aware of the comments made by Jim Brosnan, the operations and public affairs general manager of Simcoa. Everyone knows that Simcoa is a high-grade silicon manufacturer and a major exporter. In the South Western Times he is quoted as saying that electricity accounted for one-third of the company’s operating costs. He went on to say - There are a significant proportion of WA small businesses which are trying to get into the export market . . . Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs. He went on to say that if the Opposition opposed the Government’s reform plans in the Parliament, it would be a disaster for the people of Western Australia. That is a plea from a south west company that produces $80 million of exports a year. It creates real investment, real growth, real jobs and real opportunities for people in the south west. I thought that Liberal members of Parliament would support local jobs. However, that does not happen in Bunbury; it happens only in Kalgoorlie. Yesterday, on Radio 6PR, the member for Kalgoorlie said - . . . when you deregulate the electricity market and you split up Western Power into its respective entities, the fact is you create more competition, you create more generators, you get more generators into the market, and that can only have a downward effect on prices. And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation. There spoke the future leader of the Liberal Party. However, sadly, for the people of the south west, that realisation has not dawned on the member for Mitchell or his colleagues. I am disappointed with the member for Mitchell, as he often likes to portray himself as a champion of the people and a member who puts his electorate before politics. I would have thought that such a member who likes to portray himself in that way would support local jobs and a local company, but he does not. He has been exposed. He has been given the chance to do the right thing. He has seen his colleague the member for Kalgoorlie support his electorate, but when the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has been given the chance to do the right thing, he has sacrificed jobs in his community and supported the interests of his own politics.
There is a problem in this State: it has high electricity prices compared with other States. I have given figures to the House of the extra amounts that WA businesses - large, medium and small - pay compared with other places in the country. That is the reality faced by WA businesses and residential customers. I am aware of the comments made by Jim Brosnan, the operations and public affairs general manager of Simcoa. Everyone knows that Simcoa is a high-grade silicon manufacturer and a major exporter. In the South Western Times he is quoted as saying that electricity accounted for one-third of the company’s operating costs. He went on to say - There are a significant proportion of WA small businesses which are trying to get into the export market . . . Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs. He went on to say that if the Opposition opposed the Government’s reform plans in the Parliament, it would be a disaster for the people of Western Australia. That is a plea from a south west company that produces $80 million of exports a year. It creates real investment, real growth, real jobs and real opportunities for people in the south west. I thought that Liberal members of Parliament would support local jobs. However, that does not happen in Bunbury; it happens only in Kalgoorlie. Yesterday, on Radio 6PR, the member for Kalgoorlie said - . . . when you deregulate the electricity market and you split up Western Power into its respective entities, the fact is you create more competition, you create more generators, you get more generators into the market, and that can only have a downward effect on prices. And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation. There spoke the future leader of the Liberal Party. However, sadly, for the people of the south west, that realisation has not dawned on the member for Mitchell or his colleagues. I am disappointed with the member for Mitchell, as he often likes to portray himself as a champion of the people and a member who puts his electorate before politics. I would have thought that such a member who likes to portray himself in that way would support local jobs and a local company, but he does not. He has been exposed. He has been given the chance to do the right thing. He has seen his colleague the member for Kalgoorlie support his electorate, but when the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has been given the chance to do the right thing, he has sacrificed jobs in his community and supported the interests of his own politics.
Any advantage has to be pegged - many are behind the eight-ball to begin with. Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs.
Reduced electricity costs encourages us to increase our capital expenditure and maybe create another 50 jobs.
And the mining industry have realised that, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy have realised that, and I’ve come to the same realisation.
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