Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 8 Hansard (27 October) . . Page.. 2265 ..

Mr Corbell: In public ownership, yes.

MR HUMPHRIES: No, these are, very often, privately-operated services, Mr Speaker. He said that, at the same time as generating these profits and dividends, Telstra's real prices have fallen by an average of 23 per cent, while access to services has increased. The fact is that prices in Victoria between 1993 and 1996 for domestic customers fell by 9 per cent. Our prices, of course, are regulated at the moment by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Commissioner, and maximum prices will continue to be under the regime proposed by the ACT Government. The commissioner's role will be widened to enforce strict new standards as part of that arrangement. This will happen regardless of whether ACTEW is sold. Consumer codes of practice will be written for electricity supply, water and sewerage services. They will protect the consumers' right of supply and control quality standards.

Mr Corbell went on to claim that service standards had fallen under private control in other States, notably in Victoria. That is also untrue. Mr Speaker, I quote in this case Mr Keith Orchison, the managing director of the Electricity Supply Association of Australia.

Mr Corbell: He represents privatised electricity companies. Of course he would.

MR HUMPHRIES: It appears that there is no authority on this subject which is acceptable to the Labor Party. We have had Fay Richwhite; we have had ABN AMRO; we have had the Electricity Supply Association of Australia; we have had the Productivity Commission; we have had David Hughes - we have had a string of experts providing a considered comment to the ACT community.

Mr Corbell: Mr Orchison represents the interests of privately-owned electricity companies. Do you think he is going to talk it down?

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I am really not concerned with speaking over Mr Corbell all the time.

MR SPEAKER: I would remind members that Mr Humphries' voice is not all that good today. I would ask you, please, to allow him to speak without having to shout.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Orchison said, and I quote from a letter he wrote to the Canberra Times:

A report released by the Victorian Office of the Regulator-General in July this year showed that the businesses' service to customers had generally been improved or maintained.

The Regulator-General said there was an overall improvement in supply reliability from 1996 to 1997 and that improved profitability of the businesses was coupled with improved or maintained service performance.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .