Zak Kirkup and the Liberals have confirmed they will provide West Australian small businesses and households with the chance to shop around for cheaper electricity under the Liberals’ Plan for Cheaper Power Bills.
“Big business and government departments currently enjoy choice, so it makes sense that we open up the market to households and also those hard-working small businesses which play such a crucial role in our economy,” Liberal leader Zak Kirkup said.
“This commitment is expected to benefit more than one million households and 75,000 small businesses.
“In the first 100 days a new Liberal Government would drop the threshold for small business power supply competition from 50MWh to 20MWh. It would have an impact instantly, providing benefits to small businesses throughout the state.
“This announcement is part of our plan for a safer, smarter today for a brighter, better tomorrow for all West Australians.”
Shadow Minister for Small Business Alyssa Hayden said the Liberals’ commitment would remove state-owned electricity retailer Synergy’s monopoly over small businesses and households.
“It will create greater competition and cheaper power bills, which is a fantastic result for our mum-and-dad small business owners, who have been faced with enormous challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ms Hayden said.
“Our plan will help our small family run businesses, who have been hit with the increase in cost of living at home and at work. This policy will give small business owners and households a choice of electricity supplier, which will enable them to bring their overheads down.”
Shadow Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen David Honey said that West Australian consumers have been hit hard by the WA Labor Government.
“West Australians are paying the second-highest price for electricity in Australia,” Dr Honey said.
“WA has copped the biggest increases in electricity charges of any state in the nation in the past three-and-a-half years.
“And Labor intend to increase small business electricity prices by almost 16% after the election, which is completely unacceptable.”
Dr Honey revealed the Liberals were also committed to their Electricity Safety Net, a guarantee that Synergy will continue to provide electricity to West Australians at the same prices in the Budget, ensuring that anyone who doesn’t want to shop around for a better deal will not be financially worse off.
“This will stop anyone who signs up for a great introductory offer with a new retailer from being hit with high prices when the deal lapses and also ensure regional and remote customers will continue to pay the same amount as Synergy customers under the existing tariff equalisation process.”
Dr Honey said the Liberals would also take a No Asset Sale Guarantee to the March election.
“The Liberals can guarantee there will be absolutely no sale of Synergy, Western Power or Horizon Power,” he said.
The Liberals’ Plan for Cheaper Power Bills is a fundamental economic reform that is part of a plan to create 200,000 new jobs over the next five years. The policy will also apply to charitable and community organisations.