ELECTRICITY — FEES AND CHARGES
293. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Energy:
I
refer to the $400 relief package on power charges announced ahead of the
budget, which is welcome but is short-term relief and not a long-term,
cost-of-living measure that could be afforded from the hard work done by each Western
Australian to bring about the massive surpluses to date. Has the minister
recommended a freeze on energy fees and charges to provide long-term relief to
WA families instead of a one-off sugar hit?
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON replied:
I am a little confused on how to
answer that because many of the issues raised actually fall within the
responsibility of the Treasurer. I cannot
answer Treasury matters. If there is an announcement in today's budget
regarding a cost-of-living rebate to the community, that would be a decision
in the purview of the Treasurer and, therefore, beyond my responsibilities as
Minister for Energy. However, let me make another point. The Liberal Party and the shadow minister opposed the $600 rebate that
was granted to Western Australians. I imagine that he opposes a future
opportunity to give a rebate to the community. It is interesting that when we
take account of the $600 rebate that was provided to all electricity consumers
in Western Australia, we see that the cost of electricity fell; it did not go up. Here is the representative of a party that put
up electricity prices by over 90 per cent during its time in government.
After our rebates, people now pay no more for electricity than they did
beforehand. Remember that we froze electricity prices the last time we were in
government; electricity prices did not go up. There is only one party in Western
Australia that needs to apologise to the community for almost doubling the
price of electricity—that is, the party represented by the member for
Cottesloe.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Order, please!
Mr M.J. Folkard interjected.
The SPEAKER: Member for
Burns Beach, we do not need that contribution.