❓ Question on Notice regarding Western Power contracts and a ministerial direction. The Minister defends the direction, stating it was necessary to facilitate tariff changes and expects discussions between Western Power and customers.
AnsweredQoN 537Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN POWER, CONTRACTS
(1) Will the minister state categorically whether he expects Western Power to break the contracts? (2) Will he now admit that his action in issuing a direction was both ill-considered and unnecessary. Mr RIPPER
(1) Will the minister state categorically whether he expects Western Power to break the contracts? (2) Will he now admit that his action in issuing a direction was both ill-considered and unnecessary. Mr RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
(2) Will he now admit that his action in issuing a direction was both ill-considered and unnecessary. Mr RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
Mr RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
(1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
(2) Will he now admit that his action in issuing a direction was both ill-considered and unnecessary. Mr RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
Mr RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
(1)-(2) I have already told the House that the direction was issued on advice from the Office of Energy, after consultation with the Crown Solicitor. The direction is the perfectly appropriate way to go, because only Western Power can initiate the changes in regulations or by-laws required to amend the tariffs. Western Power has been given the direction, and now it will initiate the change that is required. I am not expecting Western Power to break contracts, but I am expecting that discussions will take place between Western Power and its customers. Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
Mr Barnett interjected. The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition! Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
Mr RIPPER: They have a commercial relationship, and there will be occasions where a customer would be better off on the new tariff than under a contract. I expect that the customer will raise that with Western Power, which, in pursuit of its commercial relationship, will make necessary adjustments. That is open to discussion between the customers and Western Power. The Leader of the Opposition seems to think it is a bungle to provide lower power prices for customers in regional areas. The Leader of the National Party does not agree with him, and nor does the member for Ningaloo. The Leader of the Opposition should consult with those members before going out to the regions and making comments like that.
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