❓ Mr. Nalder questions the Premier on the government's refusal to lower the contestability threshold for electricity, while the Premier defends the decision by referencing the previous government's inaction and potential price increases.
AnsweredQoN 904Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY PRICES
904. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I note the government's
refusal to support the Liberal Party's plan for cheaper power by giving
—
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear this.
Mr D.C. NALDER : I note the
government's refusal to support the Liberals' plan for cheaper
power by giving Western Australians —
Ms S.E. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the first time. Start again.
Mr D.C. NALDER : I note the
government's refusal to support the Liberals' plan for cheaper
power by giving Western Australians competition and choice. Will the Premier at
least help small business and commit to lowering the contestability threshold
to 20 megawatts an hour?
904. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I note the government's
refusal to support the Liberal Party's plan for cheaper power by giving
—
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear this.
Mr D.C. NALDER : I note the
government's refusal to support the Liberals' plan for cheaper
power by giving Western Australians —
Ms S.E. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the first time. Start again.
Mr D.C. NALDER : I note the
government's refusal to support the Liberals' plan for cheaper
power by giving Western Australians competition and choice. Will the Premier at
least help small business and commit to lowering the contestability threshold
to 20 megawatts an hour?
AnswerView source ↗
The member is referring to things
that members opposite refused to do when they were in office. The reason they
refused to do it in office is because it would have put prices up. That is what
would have happened. We are a very small market. We have Synergy, which has
long-term contracts. The process of introducing competition would obviously
mean that we would have to put prices up before we could do so. I know members
opposite shake their heads, but they did not do it for eight and a half years.
The reason they did not do it is for this reason.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I did not
shake my head.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was your
colleague behind you.
To get to full retail
contestability, we first have to get to full price reflectivity. That is what
has to happen. That is why their government did not do it.
Mr D.C. Nalder : That's
not true.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is true.
Why else? Why did Colin not do it?
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Who?
Mr M. McGOWAN : Why did Colin
Barnett not do it? For eight and a half years, he was standing right here. Why
did he not do it?
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : What was that?
Ms R. Saffioti : He said he
was gutless.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member for
Riverton accused the former Premier of being gutless. Is that right?
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I asked the
question —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The louder you
shout, members, does not mean your interjections are any better!
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : The Premier is impugning the reputation of the
member for Riverton, accusing him of saying something that he did not.
The SPEAKER : I heard the
member for Riverton say something. What was the comment that you made, member?
Dr M.D. Nahan : Do you give me
permission to say it, Mr Speaker?
The SPEAKER : I do; that is
why I am asking you.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Okay. I said, ''We
got there!''
The SPEAKER : Okay.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I was
in a good mood before I came here today; let us keep it going!
Premier, can you withdraw that
because obviously it was not what was said.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, if
you would like me to withdraw; I withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Thank you,
Premier.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : In any event,
the last government did not do it, for eight and a half years. The reason it
did not do it was that it would have had to put prices up. That would then
ensure that Synergy would become a great burden
on the taxpayers of Western Australia. That would then damage country areas,
because, obviously, the more profitable customers would be taken and
prices would go up for country consumers. We are a big state—the second largest self-governing jurisdiction in the
world—and we have a significant subsidy between the city and the c ountry. There would be massive increases for country
consumers if the Liberal Party's policy comes in. This is just a thought bubble by the Liberal Party. It did
not do it while it was in office. It has not thought it through. Liberal Party
members have taken the policy off the shelf from someone who has written
it for them and it is not in the interests of the people of the state.
that members opposite refused to do when they were in office. The reason they
refused to do it in office is because it would have put prices up. That is what
would have happened. We are a very small market. We have Synergy, which has
long-term contracts. The process of introducing competition would obviously
mean that we would have to put prices up before we could do so. I know members
opposite shake their heads, but they did not do it for eight and a half years.
The reason they did not do it is for this reason.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I did not
shake my head.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It was your
colleague behind you.
To get to full retail
contestability, we first have to get to full price reflectivity. That is what
has to happen. That is why their government did not do it.
Mr D.C. Nalder : That's
not true.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is true.
Why else? Why did Colin not do it?
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Who?
Mr M. McGOWAN : Why did Colin
Barnett not do it? For eight and a half years, he was standing right here. Why
did he not do it?
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : What was that?
Ms R. Saffioti : He said he
was gutless.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member for
Riverton accused the former Premier of being gutless. Is that right?
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I asked the
question —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The louder you
shout, members, does not mean your interjections are any better!
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : The Premier is impugning the reputation of the
member for Riverton, accusing him of saying something that he did not.
The SPEAKER : I heard the
member for Riverton say something. What was the comment that you made, member?
Dr M.D. Nahan : Do you give me
permission to say it, Mr Speaker?
The SPEAKER : I do; that is
why I am asking you.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Okay. I said, ''We
got there!''
The SPEAKER : Okay.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I was
in a good mood before I came here today; let us keep it going!
Premier, can you withdraw that
because obviously it was not what was said.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker, if
you would like me to withdraw; I withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Thank you,
Premier.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : In any event,
the last government did not do it, for eight and a half years. The reason it
did not do it was that it would have had to put prices up. That would then
ensure that Synergy would become a great burden
on the taxpayers of Western Australia. That would then damage country areas,
because, obviously, the more profitable customers would be taken and
prices would go up for country consumers. We are a big state—the second largest self-governing jurisdiction in the
world—and we have a significant subsidy between the city and the c ountry. There would be massive increases for country
consumers if the Liberal Party's policy comes in. This is just a thought bubble by the Liberal Party. It did
not do it while it was in office. It has not thought it through. Liberal Party
members have taken the policy off the shelf from someone who has written
it for them and it is not in the interests of the people of the state.
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