❓ Ms. Collins asks about fast-tracking electricity connections for new housing projects. The Minister responds by outlining initiatives Western Power is undertaking to improve connection times, including increasing staff, infrastructure stock, and improving communication.
AnsweredQoN 103Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN POWER —
CONNECTIONS
103. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to reducing red tape to support the delivery of housing across the
state.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government, through Western Power, is
working to fast-track new electricity connections for new housing projects?
(2) Can the minister outline to the
house what this means for Western Australians building a new home?
CONNECTIONS
103. Ms C.M. COLLINS to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
commitment to reducing red tape to support the delivery of housing across the
state.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government, through Western Power, is
working to fast-track new electricity connections for new housing projects?
(2) Can the minister outline to the
house what this means for Western Australians building a new home?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Hillarys for
that very important question.
(1)–(2) When
a state is firing along so well with a very strong economy, people wanting to
live and migrate here, people being paid very good wages and employment being
very high—all these success stories of our economy—it presents
challenges in meeting the demand of that growth and change. Of course, the
challenge for Western Power has been to keep pace with the demand for
connections to all the new homes that are being built and to try to absorb the
massive demand for its services.
I can report to the house the things
that have been happening at Western Power. They are quite innovative and
deliberative to have positive outcomes to reduce the time it takes to connect
new homes to the system. I am pleased to inform the house that Western Power
has done exactly that. This is a range of initiatives, and they include the
doubling of its team of specialist engineers from 30 to 62, which is quite a dramatic
increase in the staff of the specialist engineers who do that work. Also, it is
increasing its stockholding of important infrastructure like transformers. We
know that supply chain issues have arisen post-COVID, so getting larger orders
in and having a stockpile of the important infrastructure it needs are good
things that will save time. It is
introducing early undertaking contracts to allow it to place orders sooner. It
is getting those orders and beating the supply chain challenges that
exist for all utilities right across the world.
Western Power is also investing $10 million
in a new customer portal that will improve how it communicates to customers
about the connection process. Often, the issue with delays and being able to
become more efficient in this process is about communication and getting
information to the proponent or the person
wanting to connect, to make sure that they are aware of what is required and
what information is necessary.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : Thank you,
member.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader of
the Opposition.
Mr R.S. Love : Thank you for
at least listening.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : I am glad the
member for Moore is congratulating me, and I appreciate that.
Mr R.S. Love : Thank you for
listening, finally.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : You are a grumpy
man, aren't you?
He is one of the Muppets, isn't
he? We can have wonderful news, but he still has a grumpy thing to say. Be magnanimous! If he wants to claim some
responsibility, okay, he should go ahead, but be happy about it; be grateful .
This is a government that listens and responds. He has got one face, hasn't
he?
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Members!
Mr R.R. WHITBY : He cracked a smile
today.
Several members interjected.
Mr
R.R. WHITBY : It is rare. Did we
get that on the TV? It was a rare smile. His colleague next to him has mastered the art of the dopey grin, and that is why we love him, but it is good
to see the member for Moore smiling, too.
Member for Hillarys, I went out to the control centre, or
call centre, where the engineers and people involved in the connections are
communicating with customers, and I got an idea of how things have changed
recently. They were very much relieved that they are getting better news to
customers because they have been under enormous pressure post-COVID because of the challenges that we have had with a very
fast growing and successful economy , and supply chain issues. They told
me directly that they are noticing that they are able to make more efficient
processes, and that is good news for the customers. Those are just some of the
initiatives.
I
also want to mention a very important new initiative. It involves Western Power
working with the Urban Development Institute of Australia's Western
Australia division to help streamline early land clearance processes. We have
done this, member for Moore. We have worked in the community, listening to
everyone in the community. The UDIA has been central to this process in working
with Western Power to come up with a way of making sure that land developers
can access land titles earlier and accelerate project delivery.
I want to thank Western Power for
its great work. I want to thank the employees who have been involved on the
front line of delivering this improvement in services. I also want to thank the
UDIA for its engagement and support in putting these initiatives together. It
is important when a government is facing a challenge that is a part of its own
success—we create problems because we have a booming economy and have
challenges meeting demand—that we work with the community. We are
getting the job done. I thank the member for the question.
that very important question.
(1)–(2) When
a state is firing along so well with a very strong economy, people wanting to
live and migrate here, people being paid very good wages and employment being
very high—all these success stories of our economy—it presents
challenges in meeting the demand of that growth and change. Of course, the
challenge for Western Power has been to keep pace with the demand for
connections to all the new homes that are being built and to try to absorb the
massive demand for its services.
I can report to the house the things
that have been happening at Western Power. They are quite innovative and
deliberative to have positive outcomes to reduce the time it takes to connect
new homes to the system. I am pleased to inform the house that Western Power
has done exactly that. This is a range of initiatives, and they include the
doubling of its team of specialist engineers from 30 to 62, which is quite a dramatic
increase in the staff of the specialist engineers who do that work. Also, it is
increasing its stockholding of important infrastructure like transformers. We
know that supply chain issues have arisen post-COVID, so getting larger orders
in and having a stockpile of the important infrastructure it needs are good
things that will save time. It is
introducing early undertaking contracts to allow it to place orders sooner. It
is getting those orders and beating the supply chain challenges that
exist for all utilities right across the world.
Western Power is also investing $10 million
in a new customer portal that will improve how it communicates to customers
about the connection process. Often, the issue with delays and being able to
become more efficient in this process is about communication and getting
information to the proponent or the person
wanting to connect, to make sure that they are aware of what is required and
what information is necessary.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : Thank you,
member.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Leader of
the Opposition.
Mr R.S. Love : Thank you for
at least listening.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : I am glad the
member for Moore is congratulating me, and I appreciate that.
Mr R.S. Love : Thank you for
listening, finally.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : You are a grumpy
man, aren't you?
He is one of the Muppets, isn't
he? We can have wonderful news, but he still has a grumpy thing to say. Be magnanimous! If he wants to claim some
responsibility, okay, he should go ahead, but be happy about it; be grateful .
This is a government that listens and responds. He has got one face, hasn't
he?
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Members!
Mr R.R. WHITBY : He cracked a smile
today.
Several members interjected.
Mr
R.R. WHITBY : It is rare. Did we
get that on the TV? It was a rare smile. His colleague next to him has mastered the art of the dopey grin, and that is why we love him, but it is good
to see the member for Moore smiling, too.
Member for Hillarys, I went out to the control centre, or
call centre, where the engineers and people involved in the connections are
communicating with customers, and I got an idea of how things have changed
recently. They were very much relieved that they are getting better news to
customers because they have been under enormous pressure post-COVID because of the challenges that we have had with a very
fast growing and successful economy , and supply chain issues. They told
me directly that they are noticing that they are able to make more efficient
processes, and that is good news for the customers. Those are just some of the
initiatives.
I
also want to mention a very important new initiative. It involves Western Power
working with the Urban Development Institute of Australia's Western
Australia division to help streamline early land clearance processes. We have
done this, member for Moore. We have worked in the community, listening to
everyone in the community. The UDIA has been central to this process in working
with Western Power to come up with a way of making sure that land developers
can access land titles earlier and accelerate project delivery.
I want to thank Western Power for
its great work. I want to thank the employees who have been involved on the
front line of delivering this improvement in services. I also want to thank the
UDIA for its engagement and support in putting these initiatives together. It
is important when a government is facing a challenge that is a part of its own
success—we create problems because we have a booming economy and have
challenges meeting demand—that we work with the community. We are
getting the job done. I thank the member for the question.
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