❓ Opposition questions the Premier on actions to alleviate electricity price pressures, after the Premier seemingly acknowledged a significant portion of the population would face energy poverty. The Premier defends the current approach, stating existing hardship schemes are adequate.
AnsweredQoN 637Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY PRICES — “FUEL POVERTY”
I refer to the Premier’s answer yesterday in which he accepted that electricity price hikes will drive up to a fifth of Western Australians into energy poverty. I also refer to the Premier’s refusal to freeze electricity charges, use the extra GST revenue from the price hikes to help those in energy poverty, and fully fund the hardship utility grant scheme across the forward estimates. What will the Premier actually do to relieve the unbearable pressure of fees and charges that will be gouged from Western Australians over the next three years? What will the Premier actually do to help Western Australians struggling with these fee increases? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to the Premier’s answer yesterday in which he accepted that electricity price hikes will drive up to a fifth of Western Australians into energy poverty. I also refer to the Premier’s refusal to freeze electricity charges, use the extra GST revenue from the price hikes to help those in energy poverty, and fully fund the hardship utility grant scheme across the forward estimates. What will the Premier actually do to relieve the unbearable pressure of fees and charges that will be gouged from Western Australians over the next three years? What will the Premier actually do to help Western Australians struggling with these fee increases? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
One of the favourite sayings of the Leader of the Opposition is groundhog day—here we go again! This is exactly the same question he asked yesterday. We are reliving our lives. Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: One of the favourite sayings of the Leader of the Opposition is groundhog day—here we go again! This is exactly the same question he asked yesterday. We are reliving our lives. Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
One of the favourite sayings of the Leader of the Opposition is groundhog day—here we go again! This is exactly the same question he asked yesterday. We are reliving our lives. Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: One of the favourite sayings of the Leader of the Opposition is groundhog day—here we go again! This is exactly the same question he asked yesterday. We are reliving our lives. Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
One of the favourite sayings of the Leader of the Opposition is groundhog day—here we go again! This is exactly the same question he asked yesterday. We are reliving our lives. Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Oh no; it is asking what the Premier will do. Yesterday the Premier knocked back a series of suggestions so today I am asking what he will actually do. Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is the same question as yesterday. But let me say that I did not say that rises in electricity prices would result in one-fifth of people being — Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You accepted that; you did not dispute it. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I accepted the fact that rising electricity prices have placed some hardship on some households. I acknowledge that quite clearly. As I said yesterday we are not going to put a freeze on electricity prices. HUGS has been adequately funded. If there is an increased demand on that, we will consider increasing the funding, but to this point the funding of the HUGS scheme has proved adequate.
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