Opposition Leader Ripper questions Premier Barnett about a planned 22.3% electricity price increase, given the state's strong financial position. Barnett deflects, stating decisions on electricity prices will be made during the annual budget, not the midyear review.

AnsweredQoN 745Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 November 2010
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

ELECTRICITY COST INCREASES
I have a supplementary question. Given that the Premier inherited the strongest financial position ever in the state’s history, why will he not remove his planning assumption of a 22.3 per cent increase in electricity prices from his financial plan in the midyear review? Mr C.J. BARNETT

AnswerView source ↗

That is at least the fourth time the Leader of the Opposition has asked me that question, so I will give him the answer again. This government will make decisions on advice. It will make decisions on electricity, gas, transport and other services at the time of the annual state budget. The midyear review is an updating. Mr E.S. Ripper : So you will utter soft words but you won’t back them up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has no point! The former government may have treated the midyear review as a mini budget, this government does not; we simply update the figures. The policy decisions, such as electricity prices, will be made as part of the 2011–12 budget.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: That is at least the fourth time the Leader of the Opposition has asked me that question, so I will give him the answer again. This government will make decisions on advice. It will make decisions on electricity, gas, transport and other services at the time of the annual state budget. The midyear review is an updating. Mr E.S. Ripper : So you will utter soft words but you won’t back them up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has no point! The former government may have treated the midyear review as a mini budget, this government does not; we simply update the figures. The policy decisions, such as electricity prices, will be made as part of the 2011–12 budget.
That is at least the fourth time the Leader of the Opposition has asked me that question, so I will give him the answer again. This government will make decisions on advice. It will make decisions on electricity, gas, transport and other services at the time of the annual state budget. The midyear review is an updating. Mr E.S. Ripper : So you will utter soft words but you won’t back them up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has no point! The former government may have treated the midyear review as a mini budget, this government does not; we simply update the figures. The policy decisions, such as electricity prices, will be made as part of the 2011–12 budget.
Mr E.S. Ripper : So you will utter soft words but you won’t back them up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has no point! The former government may have treated the midyear review as a mini budget, this government does not; we simply update the figures. The policy decisions, such as electricity prices, will be made as part of the 2011–12 budget.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has no point! The former government may have treated the midyear review as a mini budget, this government does not; we simply update the figures. The policy decisions, such as electricity prices, will be made as part of the 2011–12 budget.

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