A WA parliamentary question seeks data on utility companies' referrals for hardship grants in July 2011, specifically regarding referrals to the Department for Child Protection. The answer reveals referrals are made to financial counsellors, not directly to DCP, and provides some data, but lacks complete information due to data collection practices and Alinta's private status.

AnsweredQoN 1059Legislative Council
Asked
23 November 2011
Portfolio
Energy

QuestionView source ↗

DEPARTMENT FOR CHILD PROTECTION — hardship utility grant scheme — referrals
(1) For July 2011 for each suburb and town, how many requests for hardship utility grant scheme assistance were referred to the Department for Child Protection by each of — (a) Synergy; (b) Horizon; and (c) Alinta? (2) For July 2011 for each suburb and town, how many requests for HUGS assistance were not referred to DCP by each of — (a) Synergy; (b) Horizon; and (c) Alinta? Hon PETER COLLIER

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Customers in financial hardship are not referred directly to the Department for Child Protection by the utilities. They are referred to a financial counsellor to be assessed for eligibility for the hardship utility grant scheme. (a) In August 2011, Synergy referred 1 320 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. Synergy does not maintain statistics as to what town or suburb the referred customer lives in. (b) In August 2011, Horizon Power referred 64 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. The following number of customers were referred, by suburb: Baynton, three; Broome, nine; Carnarvon, four; Cue, one; Derby, four; Esperance, five; Exmouth, one; Halls Creek, two; Hopetoun, one; Kununurra, three; Laverton, one; Leonora, three; Meekatharra, four; Millars Well, two; Mt Magnet, one; Norseman, one; Pegs Creek, one; Port Hedland, one; Roebourne, one; Sandstone, one; South Hedland, 14; and Wyndham, one. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers referred to a financial counsellor. (2) (a)–(b) Synergy and Horizon do not maintain records of how customers were initially assessed as not being eligible for referral to a financial counsellor. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers who were initially assessed as not being eligible for referral.
(b) Horizon; and (c) Alinta?
(c) Alinta?
(b) Horizon; and (c) Alinta?
(c) Alinta?
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Customers in financial hardship are not referred directly to the Department for Child Protection by the utilities. They are referred to a financial counsellor to be assessed for eligibility for the hardship utility grant scheme. (a) In August 2011, Synergy referred 1 320 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. Synergy does not maintain statistics as to what town or suburb the referred customer lives in. (b) In August 2011, Horizon Power referred 64 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. The following number of customers were referred, by suburb: Baynton, three; Broome, nine; Carnarvon, four; Cue, one; Derby, four; Esperance, five; Exmouth, one; Halls Creek, two; Hopetoun, one; Kununurra, three; Laverton, one; Leonora, three; Meekatharra, four; Millars Well, two; Mt Magnet, one; Norseman, one; Pegs Creek, one; Port Hedland, one; Roebourne, one; Sandstone, one; South Hedland, 14; and Wyndham, one. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers referred to a financial counsellor. (2) (a)–(b) Synergy and Horizon do not maintain records of how customers were initially assessed as not being eligible for referral to a financial counsellor. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers who were initially assessed as not being eligible for referral.
(1) Customers in financial hardship are not referred directly to the Department for Child Protection by the utilities. They are referred to a financial counsellor to be assessed for eligibility for the hardship utility grant scheme. (a) In August 2011, Synergy referred 1 320 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. Synergy does not maintain statistics as to what town or suburb the referred customer lives in. (b) In August 2011, Horizon Power referred 64 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. The following number of customers were referred, by suburb: Baynton, three; Broome, nine; Carnarvon, four; Cue, one; Derby, four; Esperance, five; Exmouth, one; Halls Creek, two; Hopetoun, one; Kununurra, three; Laverton, one; Leonora, three; Meekatharra, four; Millars Well, two; Mt Magnet, one; Norseman, one; Pegs Creek, one; Port Hedland, one; Roebourne, one; Sandstone, one; South Hedland, 14; and Wyndham, one. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers referred to a financial counsellor. (2) (a)–(b) Synergy and Horizon do not maintain records of how customers were initially assessed as not being eligible for referral to a financial counsellor. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers who were initially assessed as not being eligible for referral.
(b) In August 2011, Horizon Power referred 64 customers to financial counsellors to be assessed for eligibility to receive a HUGS payment. The following number of customers were referred, by suburb: Baynton, three; Broome, nine; Carnarvon, four; Cue, one; Derby, four; Esperance, five; Exmouth, one; Halls Creek, two; Hopetoun, one; Kununurra, three; Laverton, one; Leonora, three; Meekatharra, four; Millars Well, two; Mt Magnet, one; Norseman, one; Pegs Creek, one; Port Hedland, one; Roebourne, one; Sandstone, one; South Hedland, 14; and Wyndham, one. (c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers referred to a financial counsellor.
(c) As Alinta is a privately owned company, I cannot provide a response on the number of customers referred to a financial counsellor.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more