❓ Ms. Hamilton asks the Premier about the delivery of the $400 household electricity credit and other cost-of-living measures. The Premier responds by detailing the electricity credit program, other cost-of-living initiatives, and the government's economic management.
AnsweredQoN 498Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COST
OF LIVING — FEES AND CHARGES
498. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, can I acknowledge
Mr Butt, Mrs Baily and the student leaders at Edgewater Primary School who are
joining us in the public gallery.
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to assisting all Western
Australians with current cost-of-living pressures.
(1) Can the Premier update the
house on the delivery of the $400 household electricity credit?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house what other cost-of-living measures this government has
implemented to support WA families?
OF LIVING — FEES AND CHARGES
498. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, can I acknowledge
Mr Butt, Mrs Baily and the student leaders at Edgewater Primary School who are
joining us in the public gallery.
I
refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to assisting all Western
Australians with current cost-of-living pressures.
(1) Can the Premier update the
house on the delivery of the $400 household electricity credit?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house what other cost-of-living measures this government has
implemented to support WA families?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the
question; it is a very important one. Before I go on to answer it, can I just
say on behalf of, I am sure, all of us: go
the Matildas, we are looking forward to the game tomorrow night! As I said in
my speech this morning, there is nothing that we love better than
beating the Poms!
Mr D.T. Punch : What was
that?
Mr R.H. COOK : Except perhaps
the Minister for Regional Development!
(1)–(2) We
are just two short weeks from the start of spring, or in the Noongar calendar
Djilba, which is like ''first spring'', so we are nearly done for
winter. It is fair to say that it has been a chilly few months. The extra
blankets have been out and heaters have been cranked up. For many Western Australians
that also means that the energy bills are up. My government understands this.
We know that this means that a bit more belt
tightening needs to be done and a bit more budgeting for many households.
Although the inflation and jobs data is showing positive signs, with WA
reporting the lowest inflation rate in the country, with the most jobs and the
highest wages, we know that in times like this every dollar counts, and we get
that. We know families are doing it tough. Because the WA Labor government has
looked after the finances and made sure we have taken responsible financial
management in Western Australia, we are able to help. At the last budget we
announced a $400 household electricity credit to be delivered to every
household across the state in two instalments. Households would have receiving in
their July–August billing cycle their first $200 relief right in time
for winter. The second instalment of credit will help households in the
November–December billing cycle, providing a further $200 off their
power bills at a time when a lot of households' budgets are really
stretched in the lead-up to Christmas. This builds on the household energy credits that have been provided in recent years.
This brings the total relief of energy credits to at least $1 400 for
all 1.1 million WA households. At the same time, we have capped public
transport fares and boosted the seniors' cost-of-living rebate. We have
kept fees and charges well below inflation.
In
addition, small businesses across the state are receiving a credit of $650,
recognising the higher overheads many
small businesses are experiencing. It is all made possible because of our
strong economic management— like our decision to keep our
electricity corporations in public hands and WA's domestic gas policy.
Both have ensured our electricity prices have not faced the same dramatic
increases as other states. �When I look across my local community, I see that
this makes a difference. It can be the difference for a family of four between
staying home or having a short respite or holiday. It is a difference for a single
pensioner. It could be confidence using heating and cooling across the coolest
and hottest months. We are proud to deliver financial relief to households
during a period of heightened cost-of-living pressures.
We also have our eyes to the future
to achieve the goal of a cleaner, affordable and reliable energy future for WA.
We are undertaking an exciting transformation of our own energy system. We are
investing in infrastructure to ensure that Western Australians can benefit from
clean and affordable energy for generations to come. This will lock in gains
for WA households into the future, making sure they live not only in a great
state but an affordable state, a state that is prosperous and that spreads that
prosperity right across the community. We are very proud of our household
electricity energy credits because they have allowed all households to get
relief at the time they need it.
question; it is a very important one. Before I go on to answer it, can I just
say on behalf of, I am sure, all of us: go
the Matildas, we are looking forward to the game tomorrow night! As I said in
my speech this morning, there is nothing that we love better than
beating the Poms!
Mr D.T. Punch : What was
that?
Mr R.H. COOK : Except perhaps
the Minister for Regional Development!
(1)–(2) We
are just two short weeks from the start of spring, or in the Noongar calendar
Djilba, which is like ''first spring'', so we are nearly done for
winter. It is fair to say that it has been a chilly few months. The extra
blankets have been out and heaters have been cranked up. For many Western Australians
that also means that the energy bills are up. My government understands this.
We know that this means that a bit more belt
tightening needs to be done and a bit more budgeting for many households.
Although the inflation and jobs data is showing positive signs, with WA
reporting the lowest inflation rate in the country, with the most jobs and the
highest wages, we know that in times like this every dollar counts, and we get
that. We know families are doing it tough. Because the WA Labor government has
looked after the finances and made sure we have taken responsible financial
management in Western Australia, we are able to help. At the last budget we
announced a $400 household electricity credit to be delivered to every
household across the state in two instalments. Households would have receiving in
their July–August billing cycle their first $200 relief right in time
for winter. The second instalment of credit will help households in the
November–December billing cycle, providing a further $200 off their
power bills at a time when a lot of households' budgets are really
stretched in the lead-up to Christmas. This builds on the household energy credits that have been provided in recent years.
This brings the total relief of energy credits to at least $1 400 for
all 1.1 million WA households. At the same time, we have capped public
transport fares and boosted the seniors' cost-of-living rebate. We have
kept fees and charges well below inflation.
In
addition, small businesses across the state are receiving a credit of $650,
recognising the higher overheads many
small businesses are experiencing. It is all made possible because of our
strong economic management— like our decision to keep our
electricity corporations in public hands and WA's domestic gas policy.
Both have ensured our electricity prices have not faced the same dramatic
increases as other states. �When I look across my local community, I see that
this makes a difference. It can be the difference for a family of four between
staying home or having a short respite or holiday. It is a difference for a single
pensioner. It could be confidence using heating and cooling across the coolest
and hottest months. We are proud to deliver financial relief to households
during a period of heightened cost-of-living pressures.
We also have our eyes to the future
to achieve the goal of a cleaner, affordable and reliable energy future for WA.
We are undertaking an exciting transformation of our own energy system. We are
investing in infrastructure to ensure that Western Australians can benefit from
clean and affordable energy for generations to come. This will lock in gains
for WA households into the future, making sure they live not only in a great
state but an affordable state, a state that is prosperous and that spreads that
prosperity right across the community. We are very proud of our household
electricity energy credits because they have allowed all households to get
relief at the time they need it.
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