❓ Mr Zempilas questions the Premier about the Synergy overcharging issue, specifically regarding when the Premier was informed and whether the Minister for Energy should have immediately informed the public. The Premier defends the Minister's actions, highlighting the steps taken to investigate and rectify the issue.
AnsweredQoN 491Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Synergy—Overcharging
491. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Premier:
I refer to the
174,000 customers who were overcharged by Synergy.
(1) On what date was the Premier informed of the
overcharging?
(2) Should the Minister for Energy and
Decarbonisation have informed the public immediately when she was made aware of
it?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
491. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Premier:
I refer to the
174,000 customers who were overcharged by Synergy.
(1) On what date was the Premier informed of the
overcharging?
(2) Should the Minister for Energy and
Decarbonisation have informed the public immediately when she was made aware of
it?
(3) If no to (2), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Mr Speaker, can I just put on the
record that what has happened with the overcharging of Synergy customers is
unacceptable. It is completely unacceptable, and it is one of the reasons we
have moved so swiftly to ensure that we undertake an inquiry to understand the
extent of the problem. We are putting in place systems to allow us to rectify
that problem as quickly as possible.
The wider overpayment issue was
raised by Synergy in July this year. My office was also made aware of the
potential wider issue and the minister's intention to launch an independent
review in July. The minister established the independent review and requested
Synergy halt all payments to closed accounts in July, ceasing the source of the
problem in the first instance. The review provided an interim report on the
issue in late September. At the end of September, the minister's office emailed
Synergy requesting it address the findings of the report, commence repayments
urgently and communicate proactively and transparently with the public.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the first time. The Premier is answering the question. Stop
interrupting.
Mr Roger Cook: Synergy announced its findings and
commenced notifying customers on 10 October. The minister made it clear that
Synergy had to be proactive and transparent to the public in September. The
minister wanted to ensure that we were in possession of all the facts before
instructing Synergy to remediate the issue. This is a very serious situation
that, unfortunately, has been occurring since 2009—long before the WA
Labor government came into being in 2017.
I think the minister
has operated appropriately.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: The minister has acted absolutely
appropriately in this situation. The minister has discovered the issue,
undertaken an investigation to understand the extent of the issue and how it
would be rectified and then acted appropriately to inform the public and ensure
that those moneys were returned. Some of that money had already been returned
in the intervening period. I hope that Synergy can now get on with the job and
finish reviewing accounts and ensuring that those moneys are refunded to those
overpaying customers as soon as possible.
record that what has happened with the overcharging of Synergy customers is
unacceptable. It is completely unacceptable, and it is one of the reasons we
have moved so swiftly to ensure that we undertake an inquiry to understand the
extent of the problem. We are putting in place systems to allow us to rectify
that problem as quickly as possible.
The wider overpayment issue was
raised by Synergy in July this year. My office was also made aware of the
potential wider issue and the minister's intention to launch an independent
review in July. The minister established the independent review and requested
Synergy halt all payments to closed accounts in July, ceasing the source of the
problem in the first instance. The review provided an interim report on the
issue in late September. At the end of September, the minister's office emailed
Synergy requesting it address the findings of the report, commence repayments
urgently and communicate proactively and transparently with the public.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the first time. The Premier is answering the question. Stop
interrupting.
Mr Roger Cook: Synergy announced its findings and
commenced notifying customers on 10 October. The minister made it clear that
Synergy had to be proactive and transparent to the public in September. The
minister wanted to ensure that we were in possession of all the facts before
instructing Synergy to remediate the issue. This is a very serious situation
that, unfortunately, has been occurring since 2009—long before the WA
Labor government came into being in 2017.
I think the minister
has operated appropriately.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: The minister has acted absolutely
appropriately in this situation. The minister has discovered the issue,
undertaken an investigation to understand the extent of the issue and how it
would be rectified and then acted appropriately to inform the public and ensure
that those moneys were returned. Some of that money had already been returned
in the intervening period. I hope that Synergy can now get on with the job and
finish reviewing accounts and ensuring that those moneys are refunded to those
overpaying customers as soon as possible.
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