Opposition concern about hardship for some people in meeting winter electricity bills reflected an annual political ploy, Fuel and Energy Minister Geoff Gallop said today.
"Deputy Opposition leader Colin Barnett's 'concern' repeats an Opposition pattern of complaining about electricity tariffs in the middle of winter each year for political point scoring," Dr Gallop said.
"Mr Barnett knows quite well that disconnections of power supplies are an absolute last resort for SECWA and that supply is usually restored within 24 hours.
"The truth is that SECWA will bend over backwards to work out a payment plan with customers experiencing hardship.
"SECWA's planned payments scheme has been widely advertised and welfare agencies have been briefed.
"People experiencing difficulties can utilise this scheme to pay off their bills in a very orderly and planned way that will not impact on their other income."
Dr Gallop said the State Government remained committed to the uniform tariff which ensured that all electricity consumers, wherever they lived, paid the same. Similarly, the Government stood by its system of rebates for pensioners and other Social Security recipients.
Meanwhile, SECWA was making real progress in reducing its electricity tariffs for the first time in a decade. Last year's two per cent increase was Australia's lowest and there would be no increase this year.
"Productivity within SECWA has doubled since 1986 and important concessions have been gained from coal producers," Dr Gallop said.
"Losses in the gas business are currently paid for by higher electricity prices. The Government and SECWA will be talking with the North West Shelf partners about the problem this poses.
"This is part and parcel of the Government's commitment to reduce electricity tariffs by 25 per cent in real terms by the end of this decade."
