Page 830 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 27 February 2013
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Treasurer, to what extent were water prices set higher than necessary?
MR BARR: Obviously a theme is emerging in question time today. Do I need to remind the shadow treasurer—I should not need to remind the shadow treasurer—that the ICRC undertakes periodic price path setting exercises for ACTEW? It is a regulated monopoly and we commission the ICRC to undertake this work, and they determine the price path. So if the imputation in Mr Smyth’s question is that the ICRC have not been doing their job, I do not think that is the case. In the context of the consideration of this particular draft report, we have an opportunity over the coming six to eight weeks to consider all of the issues that are pertinent and that have been raised by the ICRC in their draft report.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Treasurer, to what extent were sewerage service prices set higher than necessary?
MR BARR: Well, I think, Madam Speaker, regardless of the answer I provide to any of these questions, they are all premeditated.
Mr Doszpot: You don’t seem to be providing too many answers, Andrew.
MR BARR: For your benefit, Mr Doszpot, I do not set the sewerage price. We have the ICRC, an independent commission, that do that work. They set the price for the last period, and they have now made a draft determination that that price can fall in a future period, and they have put that out there for consultation.
Mr Hanson: And you agree with it. Or you don’t?
MR BARR: We will look forward to that consultation. As I indicated yesterday—and I will repeat it again for the Leader of the Opposition—I broadly support the positions put forward by the ICRC, but there are a number of specific issues that need further consideration. I want to hear from ACTEW and I want to hear from the community in relation to those issues before having a final government position. Obviously, the ICRC, through this well-established process, will look at the views of ACTEW, of the community and of the government in reaching a final determination.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Treasurer, what action will you be taking to ensure that prices will not be set higher than necessary in the future?
MR BARR: We have in place a robust process where the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission is tasked with this specific role. So if Mr Doszpot’s position is that we should not have an ICRC and that the government should just set prices, let him say that. But we have the process, so I am at a bit of a loss to explain why it is that the opposition appear to have no faith in the independent regulator.
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