❓ Hon Steve Martin asks the Minister for Energy about electricity arrears and disconnections for Synergy and Horizon Power, prompting a response with data and a reference to past government performance. Some data requests were deferred.
AnsweredQoN 243Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SYNERGY AND HORIZON POWER — ARREARS AND
DISCONNECTIONS
243. Hon STEVE MARTIN to the minister representing the
Minister for Energy:
Thank you, President. I apologise
for the length of my question; it was submitted before your remarks yesterday.
I refer to the cost of living
pressures on vulnerable Western Australian families and the increasing
percentage of household incomes being spent on housing.
For Synergy and Horizon Power for
the periods 2019–20 and 2020 to date —
(1) How many disconnection notices
have been issued?
(2) How many households are in
arrears?
(3) What is the
total value of outstanding electricity bills?
(4) What is the
median value of households that are in arrears?
(5) What is the
total value of household bad debt that has been written off?
(6) How many
customers have been referred to financial counsellors?
DISCONNECTIONS
243. Hon STEVE MARTIN to the minister representing the
Minister for Energy:
Thank you, President. I apologise
for the length of my question; it was submitted before your remarks yesterday.
I refer to the cost of living
pressures on vulnerable Western Australian families and the increasing
percentage of household incomes being spent on housing.
For Synergy and Horizon Power for
the periods 2019–20 and 2020 to date —
(1) How many disconnection notices
have been issued?
(2) How many households are in
arrears?
(3) What is the
total value of outstanding electricity bills?
(4) What is the
median value of households that are in arrears?
(5) What is the
total value of household bad debt that has been written off?
(6) How many
customers have been referred to financial counsellors?
AnswerView source ↗
The answers to
parts (1), (2), (3) and (4) are in tabular form. I seek leave to have those
incorporated into Hansard .
[Leave
granted for the following material to be incorporated.]
Synergy
(1)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Disconnection
notices issued
19,099
3,389
It should be noted that between
2011–12 and 2016–17, under the Liberal National Government, the
number of Synergy's residential customers who had their power disconnected
increased by 82.6%.
(2)
2019 – 2020
2020
to date
Average
number of households in arrears
176,967
93,789
(3)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Average
monthly value of outstanding electricity bills
$61,864,574
$49,077,983
(4)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Median
value of households in arrears
$126
$140
Horizon Power
(1)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Disconnection
notices issued
15,461
8,285
It should be noted that between
2011–12 and 2016–17, under the Liberal National Government, the
number of Horizon Power's residential customers who had their power
disconnected increased by 456.7%.
(2)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Average
number of households in arrears
5,135
4,038
(3)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Average
monthly value of outstanding electricity bills
$4,388,420
$3,341,002
�(4)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Median
value of households in arrears
$527
$512
(5) It is not possible to provide the information in
the time required and I therefore ask the honourable member to place
this question on notice.
(6) Please refer
to Legislative Council question on notice 238.
parts (1), (2), (3) and (4) are in tabular form. I seek leave to have those
incorporated into Hansard .
[Leave
granted for the following material to be incorporated.]
Synergy
(1)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Disconnection
notices issued
19,099
3,389
It should be noted that between
2011–12 and 2016–17, under the Liberal National Government, the
number of Synergy's residential customers who had their power disconnected
increased by 82.6%.
(2)
2019 – 2020
2020
to date
Average
number of households in arrears
176,967
93,789
(3)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Average
monthly value of outstanding electricity bills
$61,864,574
$49,077,983
(4)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Median
value of households in arrears
$126
$140
Horizon Power
(1)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Disconnection
notices issued
15,461
8,285
It should be noted that between
2011–12 and 2016–17, under the Liberal National Government, the
number of Horizon Power's residential customers who had their power
disconnected increased by 456.7%.
(2)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Average
number of households in arrears
5,135
4,038
(3)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Average
monthly value of outstanding electricity bills
$4,388,420
$3,341,002
�(4)
2019–2020
2020
to date
Median
value of households in arrears
$527
$512
(5) It is not possible to provide the information in
the time required and I therefore ask the honourable member to place
this question on notice.
(6) Please refer
to Legislative Council question on notice 238.
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