Page 978 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 26 July 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
for expanding the ACT natural gas reticulation network throughout 1989-90. The recent developments in Australian financial markets have resulted in increased interest costs for funds used in such capital works programs.
As I have stated, the Government is dissatisfied with the current agreement between the ACT and AGL and has initiated an urgent review of the agreement. We will monitor the outcome of the New South Wales inquiry and, as a priority, will take up with the Pipeline Authority the effect of its charging policies on AGL Canberra compared with its practices in New South Wales. In our Government's consideration of this matter its primary concern is the protection of the ACT consumer.
MR JENSEN (3.35): Mr Speaker, it was very interesting to hear the Deputy Chief Minister talk a moment ago in relation to the budget. He does not seem to have any concern about the costs to the consumers - consumers like Mr Berry and others - who use the gas. I would have thought that in these times of stringency and rising interest rates this would have been one of the most critical things in which consumers were interested. So it was very interesting that he was referring to this when he was talking about the budget.
I would suggest now that the Deputy Chief Minister might find that some of those consumers to whom he is referring have some major problems with that sort of statement. It is quite clear that he is not very interested in them, as he is not very interested in what is going on at the moment.
However, let me now refer to the comments by Mr Whalan in relation to his reference to my colleague Mr Collaery using the article, or quoting directly from the article, by Mr Graham Downie. Mr Speaker, my colleague Mr Collaery did not make any reference at all in any great detail to the 5 per cent increase. That was not the point at issue as far as we were concerned.
Nowhere in the article by Mr Downie is there any reference to the figures referred to by Mr Collaery in relation to the 1987-88 annual report of the Pipeline Authority. I will just read them again, Mr Speaker, so that the Deputy Chief Minister can refresh his memory, and when I return his article he can probably see that I am correct. The 1987-88 annual report of the Pipeline Authority shows that the cost of ACT gas at Moomba was $4.4m whilst the resale price to AGL Canberra was $8.56m, showing a margin of $4.16m, or 94.6 per cent, for the supply and delivery of 73 million cubic metres of gas. Mr Speaker, I challenge Mr Whalan to find those sorts of figures in the article by Mr Downie to which he referred. Quite frankly, they are not there. Therefore it is fallacious for the Deputy Chief Minister to use that sort of suggestion.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .