❓ Mr. Nalder questions the Premier about a reported doubling of electricity disconnections, attributing it to government policies. The Premier deflects, blaming the previous government's electricity price increases and highlighting job creation and investment under his leadership.
AnsweredQoN 327Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELECTRICITY DISCONNECTIONS
— ECONOMIC REGULATION AUTHORITY REPORT
327. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the scathing Economic
Regulation Authority report about the annual performance reports for energy
distributors and retailers that shows that disconnections have doubled in the
last two years, and I quote —
Electricity price increases, limits
on hardship grants and the growing unemployment rate have made it harder for
consumers to pay their energy bills.
Will the Premier accept that his
mean-spirited policies and handling of the economy have placed WA households
under greater financial pressure; and, if not, how does he explain the massive
increase in disconnections?
— ECONOMIC REGULATION AUTHORITY REPORT
327. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to the scathing Economic
Regulation Authority report about the annual performance reports for energy
distributors and retailers that shows that disconnections have doubled in the
last two years, and I quote —
Electricity price increases, limits
on hardship grants and the growing unemployment rate have made it harder for
consumers to pay their energy bills.
Will the Premier accept that his
mean-spirited policies and handling of the economy have placed WA households
under greater financial pressure; and, if not, how does he explain the massive
increase in disconnections?
AnswerView source ↗
The reality is that the increases in
electricity charges have been less than half of those of the former government.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is not long
now, opposition leader; the final countdown is underway on your leadership.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
There's a bit of Game of Thrones going on over there, Premier!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I have been
watching Game of Thrones and I cannot associate what you said there.
Members, let the Premier finish his answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Interjections
like that to do nothing to help the Leader of the Opposition.
We are continuing to support the
hardship utility grant scheme and we have invested more in financial
counselling to assist Western Australians. We have put up electricity charges
by less than half of what the Liberal Party did in its first two years in office.
We are ensuring that good financial management and job creation are back in Western
Australia. That is what we are doing. They are distinct points of difference
from the last government, which did not create one single job in Western Australia
in its last term of office. We have created 37 000 new jobs in Western Australia
in our first two years in office. Business confidence in Western Australia is
back and we have a whole range of new projects going ahead, as we outline
regularly in the press. We have strong support from investors who are
interested in investing in our state. We also have the greatest amount of
commonwealth investment in this state that anyone has ever seen. Do members
opposite know what we did to secure that? We took the novel step of talking to
the federal government. That is totally different from what happened when the
Liberal Party was in office. I will tell members what we are not going to do.
Unlike the Liberal Party, we will not sell Western Power, because that would
put up the cost of electricity for consumers. When I hear the supplementary
question from the kitchen renovator, the member for Bateman, I want him to
explain during his question whether the Liberal Party remains committed to the
sale of Western Power.
electricity charges have been less than half of those of the former government.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It is not long
now, opposition leader; the final countdown is underway on your leadership.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
There's a bit of Game of Thrones going on over there, Premier!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I have been
watching Game of Thrones and I cannot associate what you said there.
Members, let the Premier finish his answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Interjections
like that to do nothing to help the Leader of the Opposition.
We are continuing to support the
hardship utility grant scheme and we have invested more in financial
counselling to assist Western Australians. We have put up electricity charges
by less than half of what the Liberal Party did in its first two years in office.
We are ensuring that good financial management and job creation are back in Western
Australia. That is what we are doing. They are distinct points of difference
from the last government, which did not create one single job in Western Australia
in its last term of office. We have created 37 000 new jobs in Western Australia
in our first two years in office. Business confidence in Western Australia is
back and we have a whole range of new projects going ahead, as we outline
regularly in the press. We have strong support from investors who are
interested in investing in our state. We also have the greatest amount of
commonwealth investment in this state that anyone has ever seen. Do members
opposite know what we did to secure that? We took the novel step of talking to
the federal government. That is totally different from what happened when the
Liberal Party was in office. I will tell members what we are not going to do.
Unlike the Liberal Party, we will not sell Western Power, because that would
put up the cost of electricity for consumers. When I hear the supplementary
question from the kitchen renovator, the member for Bateman, I want him to
explain during his question whether the Liberal Party remains committed to the
sale of Western Power.
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