Page 2575 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 13 October 1992

MINISTER FOR URBAN SERVICES

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION NO 324

ACTEW - Essential Services Review Committee

Mr Westende - asked the Minister for Urban Services:

(i) In relation to Governments urgency in pushing through the Essential Services

(Continuity of Supply) Bill 1992 can the Minister advise if the Essential Services

Review Committee is now functioning and if applications for assistance are being

considered.

(2) Is there any indication of the magnitude of the problem, ie the number of people

unable to pay ACTEW accounts.

(3) Does ACTEW inform its clients of the availability of assistance through the

Essential Services Review Committee particularly with the issue of its final

accounts.

Mr Connolly - the answer to the Members question is as follows:

(1) I issued a Media Statement on this subject on 18 August 1992. The members of the

Essential Services Review Committee were appointed on 14 August 1992 and the

operative provisions of the Act came into effect on 19 August 1992. As of close of

business 24 September 1992, a total of 53 Applications for Relief had been

received by ACTEW and the Committee had heard 16 of these. Three of the 53

had either paid the account or withdrawn their applications prior to the scheduled

hearings.

(2) There is no true indication of the number of people unable to pay ACTEW

electricity accounts. Since the Act came into effect, ACTEW has delivered

between 300 and 400 Disconnection Warning Notices and 53 applications for relief

have been received.

(3) As required by the Act, ACTEW gives notice to its clients of the availability of the

Review Committee in a Disconnection Warning Notice issued at least 7 days prior

to disconnection for non-payment being effected.

2575