A parliamentary question regarding the Minister for Energy's handling of electricity bans implemented by Western Power, specifically concerning communication and actions taken.

AnsweredQoN 3Legislative Council
Asked
2 March 2004
Portfolio
Energy

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the report by Steve Pennells on page 18 of The West Australian of Friday, 20 February 2004. (1) Is it correct that the minister was advised by Dr van der Mye on Tuesday, 17 February 2004 that Western Power would implement electricity bans on consumers? (2) Did the minister take any action to notify any other member of the Government or the public of what would be happening, and, in particular, did he notify - (a) the Premier; (b) the Government Media Office; and (c) his media secretary? (3) Did he give or receive any instructions or advice on how the matter would be handled by the Government and, if so, from whom or to whom was this instruction or advice given and what was its nature? (4) Did the minister take any action at all; if so, what was that action? Hon TOM STEPHENS

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the following reply - (1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(1) Is it correct that the minister was advised by Dr van der Mye on Tuesday, 17 February 2004 that Western Power would implement electricity bans on consumers? (2) Did the minister take any action to notify any other member of the Government or the public of what would be happening, and, in particular, did he notify - (a) the Premier; (b) the Government Media Office; and (c) his media secretary? (3) Did he give or receive any instructions or advice on how the matter would be handled by the Government and, if so, from whom or to whom was this instruction or advice given and what was its nature? (4) Did the minister take any action at all; if so, what was that action? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the following reply - (1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(2) Did the minister take any action to notify any other member of the Government or the public of what would be happening, and, in particular, did he notify - (a) the Premier; (b) the Government Media Office; and (c) his media secretary? (3) Did he give or receive any instructions or advice on how the matter would be handled by the Government and, if so, from whom or to whom was this instruction or advice given and what was its nature? (4) Did the minister take any action at all; if so, what was that action? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the following reply - (1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(b) the Government Media Office; and (c) his media secretary?
(c) his media secretary?
(4) Did the minister take any action at all; if so, what was that action? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the following reply - (1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the following reply - (1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
On behalf of the Minister for Energy, I provide the following reply - (1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(1) Yes. (2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(2) Yes to all parts. (3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(3) Yes. I was advised that Western Power was immediately holding a media conference and was attempting to place an advertisement in The West Australian . Indeed, I understood media outlets were learning of the information at the same time I did. I also urged Western Power to make senior officers available to ring early morning radio to disseminate the information. I personally spoke to two media outlets that evening and arranged for the Director of Energy Safety and the Coordinator of Energy to be contacted. (4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.
(4) See (2) and (3). Regrettably, the late notice and the lack of clarity in the order and related communication meant the Government had as many unanswered questions as the public had.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more