❓ Hon Adele Farina questions the Minister for Energy regarding significant cost overruns in Synergy's billing system changeover, seeking details on actions taken to resolve issues and potential for further budget increases. The Minister acknowledges the cost blow-out and expresses hope that further increases are unlikely.
AnsweredQoN 243Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SYNERGY —
BILLING SYSTEM
243. Hon ADELE FARINA to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the Synergy billing
system changeover and evidence given to the Standing Committee on Estimates and
Financial Operations that to date $91.2 million has been spent on an original
budget of $47.1 million.
(1) Apart from
the dissatisfaction with Synergy's billing system as expressed in the
minister's previous answers to parliamentary questions, what specific
actions did he take at the time to ensure that this system's problems
were resolved?
(2) Will the
current spending of $91.2 million blow out even further; and, if so, can the
minister estimate by how much?
BILLING SYSTEM
243. Hon ADELE FARINA to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the Synergy billing
system changeover and evidence given to the Standing Committee on Estimates and
Financial Operations that to date $91.2 million has been spent on an original
budget of $47.1 million.
(1) Apart from
the dissatisfaction with Synergy's billing system as expressed in the
minister's previous answers to parliamentary questions, what specific
actions did he take at the time to ensure that this system's problems
were resolved?
(2) Will the
current spending of $91.2 million blow out even further; and, if so, can the
minister estimate by how much?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) It
is a significant blow-out in the cost of a billing system for a million people.
I have specifically identified the escalation of the cost of the billing system
with the CEO and his predecessor. I am very pleased that we now appear to have
overcome all the issues associated with the billing system. In terms of the
actual cost and whether or not there will be a further escalation, I asked that
very question the last time I met with Synergy. Synergy certainly will not be
able to give me a definitive response to that. But, having said that, Synergy
is very comfortable with the fact that the system, in its current form, is
operating pretty much as required. I would be very surprised if there were any
further increases in the spend on that billing system.
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) It
is a significant blow-out in the cost of a billing system for a million people.
I have specifically identified the escalation of the cost of the billing system
with the CEO and his predecessor. I am very pleased that we now appear to have
overcome all the issues associated with the billing system. In terms of the
actual cost and whether or not there will be a further escalation, I asked that
very question the last time I met with Synergy. Synergy certainly will not be
able to give me a definitive response to that. But, having said that, Synergy
is very comfortable with the fact that the system, in its current form, is
operating pretty much as required. I would be very surprised if there were any
further increases in the spend on that billing system.
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