Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 859 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 5 November 2020 by Mr D.R. Michael

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

RENEWABLE ENERGY — COLLIE

859. Mr D.R. MICHAEL to the Minister for Energy:

I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to support the town of Collie as demand for coal and coal-fired electricity generation declines. Can the minister outline to the house how the government is supporting a just transition for Collie and if he is aware of any threats to this transition that will hurt local workers and local businesses and drive up higher electricity costs?

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON replied:

I thank the member for the question. I know of his deep interest in the people of Collie. This is very interesting because the government has gone through a very careful process to deal with the Collie transition. There is no question that the rise of renewable energy is having a direct impact on the need for the coal-fired power stations. That means that we need to respect those people. I am very proud to have worked with the member for Collie–Preston and representatives of the workforce—the various unions—to manage those transitions. Indeed, the Premier and I went in person to meet with the Synergy workers at the Muja power station who had been impacted immediately by the decisions of government to move towards the closure of Muja stage C. But the good news for the people of Collie and those workforces in the coal industry and the power industry is that because the government owns Synergy, it can manage that transition in a careful way so that their interests are properly looked after.

Interestingly, the member asked whether I am aware of anybody who would get in the way of that careful management. Of course, I can let the member know that the Liberal Party would get in the way of that transition because it wants to transfer demand for electricity from Synergy to businesses that do not own coal-fired power stations. Every kilowatt hour of power that is moved from Synergy undermines the continued operation of coal-fired power stations in Collie. It undermines the jobs of coal workers in Collie.

Before the coming election, the long-term member for Collie–Preston will be retiring. The Labor Party was concerned that the Liberal Party might make a pitch for the coal workers in Collie. But the Leader of the Opposition has completely abandoned the people of Collie because the policy announced on Sunday totally and utterly undermines the careful transition plan that is being done in conjunction with and led by Synergy.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Members!

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: Synergy is the key business that manages the transition.

Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Riverton! I call you to order for the first time.

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: The Leader of the Opposition wants to throw that out the window and give it away. She wants to transfer electricity demand from Synergy to other electricity companies —

Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Riverton! This is becoming another habit. I call you to order for the second time.

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: — that are owned by people on the east coast and by Chinese interests as well. Is that not interesting?

Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Bateman!

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: They are supporting the interest of foreign-owned companies and east coast–based companies against the interests of workers in Collie.

Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Bateman! I call you to order for the first time.

Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: That shows members what is behind this policy. This is not acceptable and, let me make it clear, it also undermines the uniform tariff policy. I will explain the uniform tariff policy, which was supported by the Liberal Party the last time it was in government. The member for Bateman spoke a moment ago about things that happened 15 years ago. Let me remind members what happened when he was a member of the cabinet before he was sacked. Colin Barnett rejected this proposal in the same way that it was rejected by Eric Ripper, Geoff Gallop, Alan Carpenter and this government as well. Just because a person can do something, does not mean that they should do something. Abandoning Synergy and throwing the people of Collie is not the way forward. The opposition is abandoning the policy that says regardless of whether a person lives in Perth, Kununurra, Esperance or Albany, they will pay the same price for electricity. The member is saying that some people who live in Perth and the surrounding areas will be able to get cheaper electricity, which means that everybody else who does not get on that privatisation agenda will have to pay more.