❓ A parliamentary question regarding the McGowan government's approach to assisting WA families with water bills during hardship, contrasted with the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 306Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER CORPORATION — NON-PAYMENT
306. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Minister for Water:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting those in our community who may be
struggling or facing hardship, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the government is supporting Western Australian
households and families in paying their water bills?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether he is
aware of anyone who is opposed to this government taking a compassionate
approach and who thinks the government should be tougher on Western Australia
families?
306. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Minister for Water:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting those in our community who may be
struggling or facing hardship, particularly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the government is supporting Western Australian
households and families in paying their water bills?
(2) Can the minister advise the house whether he is
aware of anyone who is opposed to this government taking a compassionate
approach and who thinks the government should be tougher on Western Australia
families?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Wanneroo for that very good question. I am very pleased to
answer it. I have spoken before in the house about this government's
new approach to assisting Western Australian families to pay their water bills.
I have previously given figures such as the fact that under the previous
government, 2 500 families a year were having their water cut off for
non-payment issues. We have reduced that by almost 70 per cent because we have
been much more proactive in the way we have dealt with these issues. I can also advise that in its last year, the
previous government instituted 748 claims in the Magistrates Court against Water Corporation customers who were not able to pay their bills. That
is when the current Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Water. In the
four years prior to the hitting of the pandemic, we had reduced that number to
19, so there was a very significant reduction in the use of court action
against Western Australian families who were struggling to pay their bills. On
this side of the house, we are very proud of
that response. Members may well be aware that during the COVID-19 pandemic, we
have stopped cutting off people's water for non-payment
altogether. We have ceased taking court action—full stop—during
the pandemic. We are proud of that response.
I was surprised that the shadow
Minister for Water, Hon Dr Steve Thomas, in the other place has twice this
month been on the radio criticising our approach to these issues.
Point of Order
Dr D.J.
HONEY : Hon Dr Steve Thomas is not the shadow Minister for Water.
The
SPEAKER : That is not a point of order. I ask the minister to
continue.
Dr D.J. HONEY : He is
verballing him.
The SPEAKER : You clearly
disagree with him.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.J. KELLY : Hon Dr Steve
Thomas spoke on water matters twice on radio in the last month, criticising our
approach to managing families who are struggling to pay their bills. In effect,
he was arguing that we should be tougher on those families. With respect to not
taking action against Western Australian families, he said that it is ''lazy
politics'', it sets ''a terrible precedent'' and ''it's
absolutely astounding''. He also said —
� you
know in my view � trying to carry favour and buy support and not take any of
the hard and tough decisions.
�
� not good financial management.
He went on to say that it was ''absolutely
outrageous'' and that it ''sets a terrible precedent''. He
then said —
I think that's a terrible way
to manage any business.
He went further. With respect to our decision not to take any
recovery action at all during COVID, he said —
� there's no way in the
world that every � defaulting payer is a family suffering in economic hardship
that's just nonsense in my view.
�
� to simply have this blanket
approach � it's not just poor business management, it's not
just poor economic management, it is an insult to those people who pay their
bills � It is a terrible outcome �
We on this side of the house have worked really hard to
assist those families who might be struggling to pay their water bills,
particularly during the COVID pandemic. We are proud of that. One of the
members opposite attacked us on radio, not once but twice, saying we should be
tougher on those families and we should be cutting off more families and taking
more families to court. I ask the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of
the Liberal Party: do they support a more compassionate response or is it their
policy that when Western Australian families get into difficulties, we should
be taking them to court?
The only bit of evidence
Hon Dr Steve Thomas provided to support his claim was that at the beginning of
each month, about $60 million of outstanding debt is on the books. He did not
say—he should have known this—that that includes every
family that is one day overdue. If he had done his research, he should have
known that in 90 days, about 89 per cent of that debt is paid and the rest of
it is followed up. There is absolutely no justification for the comments he
made. The question for the members in the corner is: do they support this
government's more compassionate approach or do they think we should be
tougher on struggling Western Australian families?
answer it. I have spoken before in the house about this government's
new approach to assisting Western Australian families to pay their water bills.
I have previously given figures such as the fact that under the previous
government, 2 500 families a year were having their water cut off for
non-payment issues. We have reduced that by almost 70 per cent because we have
been much more proactive in the way we have dealt with these issues. I can also advise that in its last year, the
previous government instituted 748 claims in the Magistrates Court against Water Corporation customers who were not able to pay their bills. That
is when the current Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Water. In the
four years prior to the hitting of the pandemic, we had reduced that number to
19, so there was a very significant reduction in the use of court action
against Western Australian families who were struggling to pay their bills. On
this side of the house, we are very proud of
that response. Members may well be aware that during the COVID-19 pandemic, we
have stopped cutting off people's water for non-payment
altogether. We have ceased taking court action—full stop—during
the pandemic. We are proud of that response.
I was surprised that the shadow
Minister for Water, Hon Dr Steve Thomas, in the other place has twice this
month been on the radio criticising our approach to these issues.
Point of Order
Dr D.J.
HONEY : Hon Dr Steve Thomas is not the shadow Minister for Water.
The
SPEAKER : That is not a point of order. I ask the minister to
continue.
Dr D.J. HONEY : He is
verballing him.
The SPEAKER : You clearly
disagree with him.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr D.J. KELLY : Hon Dr Steve
Thomas spoke on water matters twice on radio in the last month, criticising our
approach to managing families who are struggling to pay their bills. In effect,
he was arguing that we should be tougher on those families. With respect to not
taking action against Western Australian families, he said that it is ''lazy
politics'', it sets ''a terrible precedent'' and ''it's
absolutely astounding''. He also said —
� you
know in my view � trying to carry favour and buy support and not take any of
the hard and tough decisions.
�
� not good financial management.
He went on to say that it was ''absolutely
outrageous'' and that it ''sets a terrible precedent''. He
then said —
I think that's a terrible way
to manage any business.
He went further. With respect to our decision not to take any
recovery action at all during COVID, he said —
� there's no way in the
world that every � defaulting payer is a family suffering in economic hardship
that's just nonsense in my view.
�
� to simply have this blanket
approach � it's not just poor business management, it's not
just poor economic management, it is an insult to those people who pay their
bills � It is a terrible outcome �
We on this side of the house have worked really hard to
assist those families who might be struggling to pay their water bills,
particularly during the COVID pandemic. We are proud of that. One of the
members opposite attacked us on radio, not once but twice, saying we should be
tougher on those families and we should be cutting off more families and taking
more families to court. I ask the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of
the Liberal Party: do they support a more compassionate response or is it their
policy that when Western Australian families get into difficulties, we should
be taking them to court?
The only bit of evidence
Hon Dr Steve Thomas provided to support his claim was that at the beginning of
each month, about $60 million of outstanding debt is on the books. He did not
say—he should have known this—that that includes every
family that is one day overdue. If he had done his research, he should have
known that in 90 days, about 89 per cent of that debt is paid and the rest of
it is followed up. There is absolutely no justification for the comments he
made. The question for the members in the corner is: do they support this
government's more compassionate approach or do they think we should be
tougher on struggling Western Australian families?
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