❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Minister for Energy about compensation paid by private power companies in Victoria for deaths related to power infrastructure. The Minister defends Western Power's record and accuses the opposition of ideological bias regarding privatisation.
AnsweredQoN 457Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN POWER —
WOOD POLE ORDER
457. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Minister for
Energy:
I ask a supplementary question. If
the claims are false, why did the private sector power companies in Victoria
pay over $700 million in compensation for the deaths of 100 people?
WOOD POLE ORDER
457. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Minister for
Energy:
I ask a supplementary question. If
the claims are false, why did the private sector power companies in Victoria
pay over $700 million in compensation for the deaths of 100 people?
AnswerView source ↗
There was an accident. I might add
there were a number of accidents in Western Australia, where Western Power is
publicly owned, where the poles and wires led to a fire in Western Australia.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Yes—and the same thing is happening. If a government
firm is at fault, even though standards are set, sometimes circumstances arise,
whether error or nature, —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : — where the poles lead to fires. We live in a fire-prone
land. It is true. Over in Victoria, the royal commission —
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : — found that there were faults in the system.
Mr
M. McGowan : Under-investment in maintenance.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No; they did not find —
Mr
M. McGowan : You've got your ideological blinkers on.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No, no, no.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : I read the report. The Leader of the Opposition has the
ideological blinkers, because the Leader of the Opposition and his union mates
are saying, ''Do not allow privatisation.'' So they are blinkered
on this issue. To make the claim—falsely—that the royal
commission found that the ownership led to the fires is false. I know members
opposite have to put it forward. They are nothing more than agents of their
unions—that is nothing new; nothing different—but if we are
going to have a legitimate debate here, they have to go beyond tugging their
forelocks to their union bosses.
The
SPEAKER : That concludes question time.
there were a number of accidents in Western Australia, where Western Power is
publicly owned, where the poles and wires led to a fire in Western Australia.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : Yes—and the same thing is happening. If a government
firm is at fault, even though standards are set, sometimes circumstances arise,
whether error or nature, —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : — where the poles lead to fires. We live in a fire-prone
land. It is true. Over in Victoria, the royal commission —
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : — found that there were faults in the system.
Mr
M. McGowan : Under-investment in maintenance.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No; they did not find —
Mr
M. McGowan : You've got your ideological blinkers on.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : No, no, no.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : I read the report. The Leader of the Opposition has the
ideological blinkers, because the Leader of the Opposition and his union mates
are saying, ''Do not allow privatisation.'' So they are blinkered
on this issue. To make the claim—falsely—that the royal
commission found that the ownership led to the fires is false. I know members
opposite have to put it forward. They are nothing more than agents of their
unions—that is nothing new; nothing different—but if we are
going to have a legitimate debate here, they have to go beyond tugging their
forelocks to their union bosses.
The
SPEAKER : That concludes question time.
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