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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3456 ..

9.

A very fair question, however, that may be raised about this Bill, and about retail competition in general, is the effect that it will have on small customers.

Regulated electricity pricing for customers who remain "franchise" customers is not altered by the provisions of this Bill. The Bill makes no alteration to community service obligations such as pensioner concessions or to the operations of the Essential Services Review Committee.

The Bill does mean that the pressure that has been placed on ACTEW over the past decade to wind back the unfair subsidies previously paid to domestic customers in the ACT by business customers will be maintained.

The fact is, however, is that unjustifiably high charges for business customers are effectively a tax on business development and a tax on jobs. They do not merely penalise non-residential customers. They work against all Canberrans. Fair electricity pricing for Canberra business is essential if this city is to prosper.

The right to choose one's own retailer will be introduced step- by-step. I issued a timetable for community and business consultation at the end of 1996. This envisaged a start to competition in October 1997 for a few of our very largest electricity customers and then a rapid move to catch up with NSW and Victoria and allow all customers who pay more than about $20,000 a year on electricity to choose their own retailer from July 1998. Although it is now necessary to start on our program slightly later than expected - not before December 1997 - the rest of the timetable is unchanged.

As in NSW, customers who become eligible will be given a full year to consider their options.

The Government's final decision about extending competition down to customers who pay less than around $20,000 a year has not been made and will

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