Mr HIGGINS - 2014-03-18
Electricity reforms have been occurring under Labor state and federal governments for the past 22 years. Has the Territory embraced these reforms and the opportunities they can bring?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. He is as concerned about power as everybody in this Chamber.
Electricity costs the Northern Territory an enormous amount of money. As the Chief Minister said in his answer earlier, $150m is going out in subsidies to Power and Water: some $70m for Indigenous Essential Services; $60m in general subsidies; and almost $20m in pensioner concession subsidies - a lot of money.
I should pull the Opposition Leader up on disconnections for non-payment, which was a leading question to the Chief Minister earlier. In February this year, the disconnection rate was about 450. It does jump; the peak was in …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can he table the document?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is it private papers, or do you wish to tabled it?
Mr TOLLNER: This is a private paper I had handed to me.
The peak occurred in January 2012. Goodness me, who was in government then? It was double the number in February. It was 900 that month …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! If he wants an analysis, table the document.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, it is not a point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: Imagine the Opposition Leader wanting analysis. What a joke! You throw things out there and make it up as you go. You want analysis? Goodness me, wake up to yourself.
The member for Daly asked an important question. What is going on with the reforms? Australia has been reforming its electricity markets for the last 22 years. In 1991 there was a COAG agreement to enter a reform agenda which has been going on around the country since then. The last cab off the rank is the Northern Territory.
It is fundamentally important to our growth in the future. We talk about north Australian development plans and the like. None of it is possible unless we urgently reform our utility sector. We are so far behind the rest of the country it is not funny. But we have all those lessons which have been learnt in other Australian states to guide us in our reform, so we have good information to run off.
The reform process stalled in the Northern Territory. There is a thing called the Ministerial Council on Energy. Not many Territorians would know about it, but these reforms around the country have been driven by that council.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. He is as concerned about power as everybody in this Chamber.
Electricity costs the Northern Territory an enormous amount of money. As the Chief Minister said in his answer earlier, $150m is going out in subsidies to Power and Water: some $70m for Indigenous Essential Services; $60m in general subsidies; and almost $20m in pensioner concession subsidies - a lot of money.
I should pull the Opposition Leader up on disconnections for non-payment, which was a leading question to the Chief Minister earlier. In February this year, the disconnection rate was about 450. It does jump; the peak was in …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Can he table the document?
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, is it private papers, or do you wish to tabled it?
Mr TOLLNER: This is a private paper I had handed to me.
The peak occurred in January 2012. Goodness me, who was in government then? It was double the number in February. It was 900 that month …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! If he wants an analysis, table the document.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, it is not a point of order.
Mr TOLLNER: Imagine the Opposition Leader wanting analysis. What a joke! You throw things out there and make it up as you go. You want analysis? Goodness me, wake up to yourself.
The member for Daly asked an important question. What is going on with the reforms? Australia has been reforming its electricity markets for the last 22 years. In 1991 there was a COAG agreement to enter a reform agenda which has been going on around the country since then. The last cab off the rank is the Northern Territory.
It is fundamentally important to our growth in the future. We talk about north Australian development plans and the like. None of it is possible unless we urgently reform our utility sector. We are so far behind the rest of the country it is not funny. But we have all those lessons which have been learnt in other Australian states to guide us in our reform, so we have good information to run off.
The reform process stalled in the Northern Territory. There is a thing called the Ministerial Council on Energy. Not many Territorians would know about it, but these reforms around the country have been driven by that council.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016