❓ Question regarding the benefits of public ownership of Western Power and the potential consequences of its sale. The Minister defends the government's decision to retain ownership, highlighting financial contributions to the state budget and contrasting it with potential foreign ownership.
AnsweredQoN 110Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN POWER —
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
110. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to keeping Western Power in public hands.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how the Western Australian government's
continued ownership of Western Power is delivering benefits for Western Australians
and putting the state in the best position to undertake reform?
(2) Can the minister outline to the
house how this would be compromised if Western Power were sold?
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP
110. Mr M.J. FOLKARD to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to keeping Western Power in public hands.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on how the Western Australian government's
continued ownership of Western Power is delivering benefits for Western Australians
and putting the state in the best position to undertake reform?
(2) Can the minister outline to the
house how this would be compromised if Western Power were sold?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
am very pleased to be asked this question. I want to let the member know that
in the 2017–18 financial year Western Power paid $550 million to the
state budget. That is over half the money we spend on prisons and custodial
services. In the current financial year it is expected to pay another $458 million
to the budget. That is over $1 billion being paid by Western Power to the
budget.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member
for Carine.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That money
would be lost to the people of Western Australia if the business was sold.
Charges would still be made to the consumers, but instead of the money
benefitting Western Australians by supporting the taxpayers of this state, it
would be going to foreign owners who would buy that business.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : We are very
proud that we have retained Western Power in public ownership because that was
a key promise.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I understand
that there has been a bit of a Twitter storm from the Leader of the Opposition
about the decision of the Labor Party to fulfil our election commitment and
keep Western Power in public hands.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That is
exactly as we said we would do for the benefit of the taxpayers of the state,
because remember: selling Western Power would not reduce electricity prices.
All it would do is take money out of the pockets of Western Australians and
give it to the foreign owners of the business.
I am surprised that the Leader of the Opposition yesterday
put out a media release, saying, in part —
''On the anniversary of their
election, the Labor Party is rolling out its tired old scare campaign about the
privatisation of Western Power,'' �
Here he is saying that when we say
that the Liberal Party intends to sell Western Power, that is somehow a scare
campaign. Is that not funny? On 14 February 2018, the member for Riverton said,
in that exact same chair —
Members
on this side still believe in responsible privatisation. The sale of Western
Power was appropriate.
According to my notes, on 21 February
2018, the member for Scarborough on radio said —
Sell Western Power. � That
is a good solution, �
On 20 December 2017, the shadow
Treasurer, when asked about privatisation and what could be sold, said, ''Particularly
Western Power.'' According to my notes, on 5 October 2017, the member
for Scarborough said —
''The one big promise out
there that the premier could break and solve his issues is to partially sell
Western Power''
On 23 July 2017, the Leader of the
Opposition said on television —
Over the next four years the public
of Western Australia will see that the plan to sell Western Power was a good
one �
When we quote the Leader of the
Opposition, we are scaring Western Australians. He is right, because what he
says about selling Western Power is scaring Western Australians!
am very pleased to be asked this question. I want to let the member know that
in the 2017–18 financial year Western Power paid $550 million to the
state budget. That is over half the money we spend on prisons and custodial
services. In the current financial year it is expected to pay another $458 million
to the budget. That is over $1 billion being paid by Western Power to the
budget.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member
for Carine.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That money
would be lost to the people of Western Australia if the business was sold.
Charges would still be made to the consumers, but instead of the money
benefitting Western Australians by supporting the taxpayers of this state, it
would be going to foreign owners who would buy that business.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : We are very
proud that we have retained Western Power in public ownership because that was
a key promise.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I understand
that there has been a bit of a Twitter storm from the Leader of the Opposition
about the decision of the Labor Party to fulfil our election commitment and
keep Western Power in public hands.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That is
exactly as we said we would do for the benefit of the taxpayers of the state,
because remember: selling Western Power would not reduce electricity prices.
All it would do is take money out of the pockets of Western Australians and
give it to the foreign owners of the business.
I am surprised that the Leader of the Opposition yesterday
put out a media release, saying, in part —
''On the anniversary of their
election, the Labor Party is rolling out its tired old scare campaign about the
privatisation of Western Power,'' �
Here he is saying that when we say
that the Liberal Party intends to sell Western Power, that is somehow a scare
campaign. Is that not funny? On 14 February 2018, the member for Riverton said,
in that exact same chair —
Members
on this side still believe in responsible privatisation. The sale of Western
Power was appropriate.
According to my notes, on 21 February
2018, the member for Scarborough on radio said —
Sell Western Power. � That
is a good solution, �
On 20 December 2017, the shadow
Treasurer, when asked about privatisation and what could be sold, said, ''Particularly
Western Power.'' According to my notes, on 5 October 2017, the member
for Scarborough said —
''The one big promise out
there that the premier could break and solve his issues is to partially sell
Western Power''
On 23 July 2017, the Leader of the
Opposition said on television —
Over the next four years the public
of Western Australia will see that the plan to sell Western Power was a good
one �
When we quote the Leader of the
Opposition, we are scaring Western Australians. He is right, because what he
says about selling Western Power is scaring Western Australians!
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