❓ A parliamentary question regarding a compensation claim by a general store in Wyalkatchem due to a 30-hour power outage and the number of compensation claims lodged with Western Power since September 2003. The Minister acknowledges the issue but doesn't provide specific figures, citing insufficient notice.
AnsweredQoN 312Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to an unsuccessful claim for $4 000 compensation by the owners of the general store in Wyalkatchem, whose trade was adversely affected by power blackouts in the lead-up to Christmas 2003. That was the day after they received their Christmas stock, which is a big order in a country town. (1) Is the minister aware that Western Power took 30 hours to restore power to their premises and that their claim was based on the duration of the power outage, rather than the weather-related cause of the blackout? (2) How many compensation claims from regional customers have been lodged with Western Power since the Energy Safety Directorate released its September 2003 report and what is the total value of those claims? The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
(1) Is the minister aware that Western Power took 30 hours to restore power to their premises and that their claim was based on the duration of the power outage, rather than the weather-related cause of the blackout? (2) How many compensation claims from regional customers have been lodged with Western Power since the Energy Safety Directorate released its September 2003 report and what is the total value of those claims? The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
(2) How many compensation claims from regional customers have been lodged with Western Power since the Energy Safety Directorate released its September 2003 report and what is the total value of those claims? The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
(1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
(1) Is the minister aware that Western Power took 30 hours to restore power to their premises and that their claim was based on the duration of the power outage, rather than the weather-related cause of the blackout? (2) How many compensation claims from regional customers have been lodged with Western Power since the Energy Safety Directorate released its September 2003 report and what is the total value of those claims? The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
(2) How many compensation claims from regional customers have been lodged with Western Power since the Energy Safety Directorate released its September 2003 report and what is the total value of those claims? The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
The SPEAKER: Before I ask the minister to answer the question, I hope that some notice has been given of that specific type of question. The minister can answer more general questions, but I presume that some notice has been given of more specific questions. Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
(1)-(2) Mr Speaker, you are correct in presuming that some notice of the question was given. Notice of the question was received at 20 minutes past one. It is just not possible to obtain the detailed information that the member seeks in that short time frame. Of course I am not familiar with the details of the electricity supply to the Wyalkatchem general store. However, I can say that the compensation policy that is applied by Western Power is exactly the compensation policy that was applied by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Minister for Energy. I cannot help but be sympathetic to a business such as the Wyalkatchem general store, if the allegation is correct that it had a long power blackout immediately after having received its Christmas stock. I understand the point that has been made. Although compensation might not be payable under the policy, because the blackout was caused by events outside Western Power’s control, Western Power’s delayed response to the event might nevertheless provide a different point on which compensation could be reconsidered. I am happy to put that argument to Western Power and for Western Power to put that argument to its insurers. I do sympathise with the position of the Wyalkatchem general store. However, if the National Party had really wanted action on this matter, there were ways of getting faster action, rather than waiting until question time and providing inadequate notice to the minister of the detail required.
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