❓ Question regarding using state finances to alleviate electricity bill increases for WA families and a commitment to freeze electricity prices. The Treasurer declines, citing past negative consequences of price freezes.
AnsweredQoN 618Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE FINANCES — electricity prices
I refer to the Treasurer’s boast about the strength of the state’s finances. (1) Will the Treasurer use this claimed financial strength to help WA families struggling with his savage increases in household bills? (2) Will the Treasurer commit to freezing electricity prices in the next state budget? (3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER
I refer to the Treasurer’s boast about the strength of the state’s finances. (1) Will the Treasurer use this claimed financial strength to help WA families struggling with his savage increases in household bills? (2) Will the Treasurer commit to freezing electricity prices in the next state budget? (3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(1) Will the Treasurer use this claimed financial strength to help WA families struggling with his savage increases in household bills? (2) Will the Treasurer commit to freezing electricity prices in the next state budget? (3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(2) Will the Treasurer commit to freezing electricity prices in the next state budget? (3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(1) Will the Treasurer use this claimed financial strength to help WA families struggling with his savage increases in household bills? (2) Will the Treasurer commit to freezing electricity prices in the next state budget? (3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(2) Will the Treasurer commit to freezing electricity prices in the next state budget? (3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(3) If no to (1) and (2), why not? Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: (1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
(1)–(3) Part of the good result that we were able to deliver in last year’s budget cycle was taking sensible, straightforward, sound decisions. Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mrs M.H. Roberts : Like a 57 per cent hike in electricity! Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices, which is what occurred with business tariffs in 1992 and residential tariffs in 1997, is precisely what got this state into the mess that we inherited when we took over from the previous government. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr F.M. Logan interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today. Member for Midland, you asked the question; I do not think unnecessary loud interjections are going to assist in getting the answers. Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : Freezing electricity prices is not the answer. In the following two years electricity prices are estimated to increase at the level of five per cent. That is a fair and modest increase in all the circumstances, given the fact that the costs of generating and transmitting electricity are increasing year on year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper : Where are you going after that, if you get the chance? Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : The point about estimates is that they are estimates and, of course, the budget — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr M.P. Murray : Don’t believe the estimates; they’re not worth the paper they’re written on. Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.J. Barnett : You live in the airy-fairy land of forward estimates! Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper : Your debt figures are airy-fairy too. Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.J. Barnett : No. Our debt figures are very good. Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : It is interesting to hear members speak about debt and estimates. I cast a quick eye over the Leader of the Opposition’s estimates. His estimates of debt were made four years before the debt actually arrived. Not merely did he never get it right—we do not expect him to ever get it right—but also at times he was wrong by 100 per cent. He was 100 per cent wrong. Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper : Your absolute debt is $12 billion. You started with $3.6 billion. Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : In any event, I have been asked whether the state government will now freeze electricity prices. We will not do that. What we will do is ensure that the sensible economic decisions that we have made give us the capacity to make sure that increases in future are very moderate and very modest. Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Member for Midland! Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : One of the benefits of finally managing to restrain expenditure growth in the state is that it allows us the room to not put up prices too quickly to full cost reflectivity. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : That is what it does; whereas if expenses are growing at 12 per cent year in, year out, we lose the opportunity to protect Western Australian consumers from the true price of electricity. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
Mr C.C. PORTER : The reason that we now have modest increases is that we are managing the economy very soundly. The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
The SPEAKER : Before I give the call to the member for Kingsley, I am going to formally call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time today!
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