❓ Mr. Ripper questions Premier Barnett about electricity price hikes coinciding with increased dividends from electricity utilities, suggesting it's a disguised tax. Premier Barnett denies this, stating the dividend policy change was to align with national standards and improve capital investment oversight, and was unrelated to electricity price increases.
AnsweredQoN 434Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY — INCREASED fees and charges
I might commend chia as a great breakfast food. I refer to the Premier’s frequent defence of the government’s unconscionable increases in fees and charges as being necessary moves to cost reflectivity. (1) When an electricity price hike is brought on at the same time as a raid on the electricity utility’s coffers by a dividend increase, how is this anything other than a sneaky new tax? (2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I might commend chia as a great breakfast food. I refer to the Premier’s frequent defence of the government’s unconscionable increases in fees and charges as being necessary moves to cost reflectivity. (1) When an electricity price hike is brought on at the same time as a raid on the electricity utility’s coffers by a dividend increase, how is this anything other than a sneaky new tax? (2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
I refer to the Premier’s frequent defence of the government’s unconscionable increases in fees and charges as being necessary moves to cost reflectivity. (1) When an electricity price hike is brought on at the same time as a raid on the electricity utility’s coffers by a dividend increase, how is this anything other than a sneaky new tax? (2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
(1) When an electricity price hike is brought on at the same time as a raid on the electricity utility’s coffers by a dividend increase, how is this anything other than a sneaky new tax? (2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
(2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
(1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
I refer to the Premier’s frequent defence of the government’s unconscionable increases in fees and charges as being necessary moves to cost reflectivity. (1) When an electricity price hike is brought on at the same time as a raid on the electricity utility’s coffers by a dividend increase, how is this anything other than a sneaky new tax? (2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
(1) When an electricity price hike is brought on at the same time as a raid on the electricity utility’s coffers by a dividend increase, how is this anything other than a sneaky new tax? (2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
(2) Is the Premier not just taking money from Western Australians in through one door and shoving that money out through another door into the coffers of his Treasury? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
(1)–(2) No, we are not. We did increase the dividend policy for a number of statutory authorities to bring them in line with what applies across Australia. It is appropriate that we do that. It is appropriate that the state government also play a more direct role in the capital investment decisions made by statutory authorities. That is why we did it. That did not relate to or affect the increase in charges for electricity.
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