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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 385 asked in the Legislative Council on 11 May 2022 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

WATER CORPORATION — NON-PAYMENT

385. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the Minister for Water:

I refer to households having difficulty in paying their water bills.

(1) Can the minister provide monthly data for the period 1 July 2021 to May 2022 on how many households had their water flow reduced to a trickle or disconnected due to the non-payment of charges?

(2) For the same period, on a monthly basis, how many households sought assistance with meeting their payment obligations?

Hon DARREN WEST replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. I provide the following answer on behalf of the Minister for Regional Development.

(1)–(2) The Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Water from December 2013 to March 2017. During that time, water bills more than doubled compared with the last five years under the McGowan government. The average annual increase under those opposite was four times greater than under this government.

I have a lovely table here and I seek to have the information incorporated into Hansard.

[Leave granted for the following material to be incorporated.]

 

MIA DAVIES AS WATER MINISTER

McGOWAN GOVERNMENT

WATER BILLS

↑ $288.19More Than Double Compared To 5 Years Under This Govt

↑ $116.88

% INCREASE

↑ 21.7%More Than 3 Times Compared To 5 Years Under This Govt

↑ 7.1%

AVERAGE ANNUAL INCREASE

↑ 5.4%More Than 4 Times Compared To 5 Years Under This Govt

↑ 1.4%

(1) There have been 263 restrictions applied to residential customers to date this financial year:

Period

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Year total

2021/22

0

0

23

49

52

14

18

28

65

14

263

(2) There have been 76,616 new Payment Plans made to date this financial year:

Period

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Year total

2021/22

7,942

7,723

7,549

6,787

7,259

6,218

7,117

7,258

9,602

7,161

74,616

Note: Figures for May 2022 will not be available until 1 June 2022