ELECTRICITY —
UNIFORM TARIFF POLICY
842. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Energy:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to the uniform tariff policy that ensures every
Western Australian pays the same price for electricity regardless of whether
they live in the Pilbara or in Perth.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of any threats to this policy?
(2) Can the
minister outline to the house what it would mean for those in the Pilbara and
across regional WA if this policy were dismantled?
Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON replied:
(1)–(2) That
is a very good question. Members will remember that I explained yesterday that
the Liberal Party is trying to model its policy on the operations of the
Tasmanian electricity system—a system that does not have competition.
Effectively, 97 per cent of the people in Tasmania buy their electricity from
the government-owned retailer, unlike in South Australia, which is more
expensive than WA, where there is competition. I am holding up a map of Western
Australia. Members will see that people who live north of Dongara will fall
outside the Leader of the Opposition's policy. I will let people know
that we are absolutely committed to
everybody in Western Australia paying the same price for electricity. The
member for Pilbara is probably interested to know that the cost to
supply electricity in Nullagine is $2.32 per kilowatt hour.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON: That is in
the Pilbara. The member for Bateman does not know that is in the Pilbara!
In
Marble Bar, the cost is $1.43 per kilowatt hour. There are no circumstances in
which those people will be able to get cheaper electricity under the
Leader of the Opposition's policy. She, apparently, is abandoning the
people in the Pilbara. Her policy will push
up the price that Synergy would charge customers in the metropolitan area. If
people in the metropolitan area were buying from Synergy, which will be
the most expensive retailer in Western Australia, their costs will go up and
that means the prices will also go up in the electorate of Pilbara.
The member for North West Central might
like to know that it costs the people in Sandstone $1.48 per kilowatt hour of
power. In Wiluna, it costs $1 per kilowatt hour. Member for Kalgoorlie, it
costs the people in Menzies $1.64 per kilowatt hour, and the people in Laverton
76� per kilowatt hour. This idea that cost reflectivity and competition is
somehow better for consumers ignores the circumstance of Western Australia.
Abandoning the uniform tariff policy, under which every single Western Australian
pays the same price for electricity, means that people in country Western Australia will pay more than people in Perth.
That is what the Leader of the Opposition's policy says. It says that only people who live in
Perth will have discounted electricity. People who live in Nullagine,
Marble Bar, Wiluna, Sandstone, Menzies, Laverton or the Kimberley will not get
cheap electricity. The Leader of the Opposition's plan is to punish
country people.
I have a question for the National
Party: does the National Party support abandoning the uniform tariff policy? At
the moment, every residential customer in Western Australia pays exactly the
same price for electricity, no matter where they live. The Liberal Party's
plan is to end that. Where does the National Party stand?
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER: Members, I know that
when you shout out loud you think you are important, but all you are doing
is interrupting Parliament.