ELECTRICITY —
FEES AND CHARGES
1126. Hon Dr BRIAN WALKER to the minister representing the
Minister for Energy:
I refer the minister to the article
in The Sunday Times, dated 5 December 2021, entitled ''Electricity
bills shock battlers'', which detailed the $121 million owed in overdue
power bills, up from $106 million in May, suggesting that this winter has been
especially hard on struggling WA families. I note that power bills have gone up
by an astonishing 130 per cent since 2008.
(1) Is the McGowan government still
committed to annual power bill increases until at least 2024–25?
(2) If yes to (1), how does the government react to
claims in the article that more than 1 000 Western Australians were
forced to rely on hardship grants from charities to pay their electricity, gas
and water bills in the past month alone?
(3) With
Christmas fast approaching, what, if anything, is the government doing to make
essential services more affordable for the average family?
Hon
ALANNAH MacTIERNAN replied:
It
is a lengthy question, and I have a lengthy answer here compiled from
information provided by the Minister for Energy.
(1) The McGowan
government is committed to continuing to keep power bills as low as possible.
From 1 July 2021, the household basket of fees and charges rose by 1.6 per
cent, below the projected consumer price index of 1.75 per cent in 2021–22.
The McGowan government has delivered on its commitment to ensure increases to
household electricity and water charges are capped at inflation across the
forward estimates. This counters the 90 per cent increase over the two terms of
the Barnett Liberal–National government, which had an average of 8.4
per cent each year.
(2) The McGowan government has significantly increased
support available to families experiencing difficulty paying electricity
bills, including through implementing new evidence-based approaches. For
example, in 2020, in recognition of the impact of COVID, the government doubled
the energy assistance payment, with a one-off boost of $305.25. This meant
that, including the household electricity credit, a total of $1 210 was
provided to assist around 300 000 households. It has also delivered several
pilot programs: the $13 million household
energy efficiency scheme, the $6 million smart energy for social housing
program and Synergy's case management program with tailored
access to dedicated financial counsellors. Other innovative improvements include the creation of a dedicated portal for
financial counsellors to make it easier to assist clients with managing
their Synergy bills. Those experiencing financial hardship can also access
other assistance, including the hardship utility grant scheme and the account
establishment fee rebate. In the first half of this year, HUGS alone has
contributed more than $1 million towards the electricity bills of customers in
hardship. Around 300 households a month receive a combined amount of about $200
000.
(3) The McGowan government acknowledges the additional
stress at Christmas time and the holiday season. Any person experiencing financial hardship is
encouraged to contact their electricity retailer directly for assistance.