Page 1220 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 24 June 1992
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in a civilised society a service provider should not have to be compelled to accept that some people cannot meet their fuel costs. It is to be noted that ACTEW made a considerable profit in 1991 and paid a dividend of $19m to the ACT Government in that year.
A return to final notices and a system of notification that informs people about the existence of the Essential Services Review Committee to decide genuine hardship cases is recommended in the legislation. I am sure that the Government will also keep a watching brief on the implementation of this legislation, to ensure that minority groups, such as those identified in equal opportunity legislation, have equal access to relief under the Act and are able to pursue their right to have the Essential Services Review Committee hear their cases.
I wish to draw attention to clause 18 of the Bill, which concerns representation. It may appear that either a client or an agent or advocate can represent a client's interest. It is to be hoped that the Essential Services Review Committee's interpretation of this clause will mean that both the client and the agent can speak on the client's behalf. I am sure it is not intended that this clause be mutually exclusive of the client and agent as regards representation. Indeed, every encouragement should be given to both the client and the agent to represent the case to the Essential Services Review Committee. The Government may also need to consider increasing funding to appropriate counselling services, as under paragraph 23(c) the committee can direct the client of an essential service provider to obtain financial counselling. I know that the CARE Credit and Debt Counselling Service are not the only such counsellors available in the area. However, it is noted that it takes 13 weeks to get an initial appointment with that agency, and I am sure that the resources of all other such counsellors are equally stretched.
I am pleased that the committee reviewed the health of consumers in its financial considerations section. I am convinced by the evidence of the link between increased community ill health and the stress of financial hardship. If by introducing this Bill we can make the system of obtaining and maintaining essential services easier, especially on those occasions when an adverse financial situation exists, then we are moving in the right direction. Madam Speaker, I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
MR HUMPHRIES (5.25): Madam Speaker, I rise to correct a misapprehension that Mr Moore might have about what the Liberal Party's intentions are on this Bill. Mr Moore made a remark to the effect that the Liberal Party does not care about people in the community who might suffer because of their inability to pay electricity bills and who, therefore, might have their electricity cut off during winter. Mr Moore did not listen very closely to what Mr Westende had to say about our reasons for not supporting this Bill. It is not that we have any lack of concern about the people that this Bill is designed to help. Indeed, what Mr Westende said - and I will repeat it for your benefit - was that this Bill is "one of extreme goodwill and one that is sensible". He went on to say:
People undergoing hardship will find assistance available to them under existing leniency policies adopted by government bodies.
We are obviously concerned there. He made a number of references in his remarks to the fact that the Liberal Party is concerned about the consequences of utility suppliers cutting off supplies, particularly during periods when it would be most serious, such as winter. It is not the intention of the Liberal Party to
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