❓ Mrs. Munday asks the Premier about cost-of-living measures in the 2023-24 budget, focusing on assistance for households and small businesses amidst inflation and interest rate rises. The Premier responds by highlighting electricity credits and comparing their government's performance to the previous Liberal-National government.
AnsweredQoN 296Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE BUDGET 2023–24 — COST-OF-LIVING
MEASURES
296. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I would
like to give a big shout-out to Rosalie Primary School students for the member for Nedlands and to the kids and principal, Peter
Beckingham, from Halls Head Primary School, which is in my electorate.
I
refer to measures included within the McGowan Labor government's recent
budget to help reduce the costs of living.
(1) Can the
Premier please advise how the measures will assist households and small
businesses during the current wave of inflation and interest rate rises?
(2) Can the
Premier outline to the house the McGowan Labor government's record on
delivering genuine cost-of-living relief?
MEASURES
296. Mrs L.A. MUNDAY to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I would
like to give a big shout-out to Rosalie Primary School students for the member for Nedlands and to the kids and principal, Peter
Beckingham, from Halls Head Primary School, which is in my electorate.
I
refer to measures included within the McGowan Labor government's recent
budget to help reduce the costs of living.
(1) Can the
Premier please advise how the measures will assist households and small
businesses during the current wave of inflation and interest rate rises?
(2) Can the
Premier outline to the house the McGowan Labor government's record on
delivering genuine cost-of-living relief?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Dawesville
for the question.
(1)–(2) One
of the focuses of last week's budget was to continue to have Western Australia
as the most affordable state in the nation,
and that is what we have achieved. The budget has more than $715 million going
towards cost-of-living pressures for Western
Australians. From July, every household will receive a $400 electricity credit, received in two instalments—the third electricity credit in
less than three years. The first electricity credit was $600 in late 2020; the
second one of $400 was in last year's budget and the one in this year's
budget is $400. But there is more targeted relief for those who need it more.
One-third of households, or 350 000 households in Western Australia that are
eligible for the energy assistance payment will receive a total of $826 off
their electricity bills. There are two tiers: $826 for 350 000 households and
$400 for the other two-thirds of households. I am very proud of the fact that a
lot of people out there who never receive any support from the government and
who work hard and might be just above the threshold for some sort of support
will get a bit of support from our government. They are deserving people who
need a bit of support in what is a relatively high inflation environment across
Australia, although it is lower in Western Australia. We are able to do that
because we managed the finances well. We paid off much of the debt and deficit
that we inherited from the Liberals and Nationals in office and we kept the
electricity corporations in public hands. The former Liberal–National
government wanted to sell them off—at least the majority of Western
Power. In 2006–07 under Premier Alan Carpenter, we put in place the
domestic gas policy, which is now the envy of Australia. All those things meant
that we avoided a lot of the crises occurring elsewhere.
In the last year, power prices in New
South Wales went up 25.7 per cent and in Queensland they went up 20 per cent.
In the other states it was anywhere from eight per cent upwards. Ours went up
2.5 per cent and we gave everyone a $400
electricity credit which meant, in effect, that the price of a basket of
household goods went down and, indeed,
this year, they have gone down again. The comparison is stark. Under the last
government, which had eight and a half years in office, on average electricity
prices went up 8.4 per cent a year—90 per cent over eight years.
That is how much they went up. TAFE and water fees went up by remarkably high
levels. At a time when the government had incredibly strong revenues, the former government managed to blow costs for
households and push debt up to $44 billion across the forward estimates
from $3.6 billion after it arrived in office. That was quite an achievement
that had never been seen before in Western Australia.
Fortunately, we have a government that is dealing with these issues. The cost of living is a big focus in the budget and we are very proud of that.
for the question.
(1)–(2) One
of the focuses of last week's budget was to continue to have Western Australia
as the most affordable state in the nation,
and that is what we have achieved. The budget has more than $715 million going
towards cost-of-living pressures for Western
Australians. From July, every household will receive a $400 electricity credit, received in two instalments—the third electricity credit in
less than three years. The first electricity credit was $600 in late 2020; the
second one of $400 was in last year's budget and the one in this year's
budget is $400. But there is more targeted relief for those who need it more.
One-third of households, or 350 000 households in Western Australia that are
eligible for the energy assistance payment will receive a total of $826 off
their electricity bills. There are two tiers: $826 for 350 000 households and
$400 for the other two-thirds of households. I am very proud of the fact that a
lot of people out there who never receive any support from the government and
who work hard and might be just above the threshold for some sort of support
will get a bit of support from our government. They are deserving people who
need a bit of support in what is a relatively high inflation environment across
Australia, although it is lower in Western Australia. We are able to do that
because we managed the finances well. We paid off much of the debt and deficit
that we inherited from the Liberals and Nationals in office and we kept the
electricity corporations in public hands. The former Liberal–National
government wanted to sell them off—at least the majority of Western
Power. In 2006–07 under Premier Alan Carpenter, we put in place the
domestic gas policy, which is now the envy of Australia. All those things meant
that we avoided a lot of the crises occurring elsewhere.
In the last year, power prices in New
South Wales went up 25.7 per cent and in Queensland they went up 20 per cent.
In the other states it was anywhere from eight per cent upwards. Ours went up
2.5 per cent and we gave everyone a $400
electricity credit which meant, in effect, that the price of a basket of
household goods went down and, indeed,
this year, they have gone down again. The comparison is stark. Under the last
government, which had eight and a half years in office, on average electricity
prices went up 8.4 per cent a year—90 per cent over eight years.
That is how much they went up. TAFE and water fees went up by remarkably high
levels. At a time when the government had incredibly strong revenues, the former government managed to blow costs for
households and push debt up to $44 billion across the forward estimates
from $3.6 billion after it arrived in office. That was quite an achievement
that had never been seen before in Western Australia.
Fortunately, we have a government that is dealing with these issues. The cost of living is a big focus in the budget and we are very proud of that.
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