WA Greens Energy spokesperson Robin Chapple MLC said he was astounded to learn of a provision in Synergy customer agreements that prohibited them from installing a household battery, or charging an electric car.
"Battery storage systems are going to completely revolutionise the way that we use energy, offering West Australians the opportunity to simultaneously save money and cut their household emissions," Mr Chapple said.
"The Greens solar postcodes report, produced by Senator Scott Ludlam, has shown that 1 in 5 WA households now have rooftop solar - an increase of 19% in just one year - suggesting that WA is prime for the uptake of emerging battery technology.
“The WA Greens predict battery storage systems will be at the forefront of a huge energy shift and as such are re-evaluating their Energy 2029 plan so that we have the best policy to allow West Australian's to benefit from new energy generation technologies.
“But bizarrely the Barnett government seems to be blocking it out of the market completely; a response that is protectionist and frankly not in the best interests of their constituents.
"Under it’s current structure – with an almost $600 million annual subsidy – Mike Nahan has conceded the WA grid is unsustainable, yet in practice the Barnett government’s policies tell a different story.”
Mr Chapple said he had grave concerns about some of the broader implications of the policy for society.
“These systems will allow people with sleep apnoea or home dialysis machines to be secure in the knowledge that their device is not going to switch off in the event of a power outage which, let’s face it, is an all too common theme across parts of this state,” he said.
“Home security systems will be less reliant on grid power, as will firefighting capabilities in an emergency situation – I could go on and on.”
Mr Chapple said he was also afraid large numbers of Synergy consumers might have already signed the agreement.
“We have almost 50% of households in the Canning electorate with some form of rooftop solar; did Synergy force them all to agree to these Terms and Conditions?” he said.
“To me, this is a policy that is punishing those very consumers who have taken the first step towards sustainable energy generation. It is a policy approach that dictates to those wishing to take up solar that they must maintain the status quo.”
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
Since the Barnett government came into office in 2008 at least 3,207 Aboriginal heritage sites have lost their registered status, according to a new report.
WA Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal Affairs Robin Chapple MLC said the report was extensive and revealed much more disturbing long-term trends about the assessment and protection of Aboriginal heritage sites.
“This is now about much, much more than the 37 sites deregistered on faulty advice from the State Solicitor’s Office (SSO) prior to the Robinson vs Fielding Supreme Court decision,” Mr Chapple said.
“What this report proves is that the Barnett government has all but abandoned its statutory responsibilities to protect Aboriginal heritage in Western Australia.
“Not only have more than 3,000 sites had their status, and hence protection, downgraded but since 2010 the Aboriginal Cultural Materials Committee (ACMC) has rejected 86% of new site submissions. Prior to 2010 that number was only 10%.
“What is most confusing about the data in the report however is the sheer number of site status changes – more than 14,000 – that occurred across this time period, often into new categories that were later removed.
“Under the Aboriginal Heritage Act the status of any site must be assessed by the ACMC. Given the ACMC monthly meetings have radically shortened under its new chair I find it very hard to believe that any of these status changes have been given proper consideration.
Mr Chapple said Aboriginal people across WA were deeply concerned about their heritage despite Department assurances that every action was undertaken with consultation.
“At the Department of Aboriginal Affairs estimates hearing last week I was assured that all informants (Traditional Owners) were told whenever a decision was made about a heritage site,” he said.
“Yet I’ve had a great many people contact me fearful about places that are significant to them and to their people; they’ve heard nothing.
“The government’s handling of Aboriginal Affairs since 2008 has been absolutely to the detriment of Aboriginal people. We are currently presiding under a government who will stop at nothing to open doors for industry and to refill its own severely depleted coffers.”
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Peter Collier has further confused the debate around remote community closures after commenting that the Kimberley and Pilbara regions were the government’s primary focus.
Mr Collier made the comments at a regional cabinet meeting held in Kalgoorlie over the weekend after being questioned by a Ngaanyatjarra elder.
WA Greens spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs Robin Chapple MLC said comments such as these only added to the anxiety being felt by Aboriginal people living in remote communities throughout Western Australia.
“When will this government start to take the concerns of Aboriginal people seriously and tell the truth about their plans to close remote communities,” Mr Chapple.
“On one level we have the official line which is that no decisions about closing communities have been made, and won’t be made until proper consultation has taken place.
“Yet we continue to hear from various government representatives that some communities are known to be unsustainable, and now that only communities in certain regions will be targeted.
“I’m glad the Minister is not focused on closing communities in the Goldfields region, but what does that mean for people in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. They are only left further in the dark by this revelation.
“Furthermore, industry representatives have revealed the government has given them reassurances about remote communities that may fall within their jurisdictions. So why does this government insist on keeping Aboriginal people in the dark?
“As the WA Greens have said from the start, any policy concerning the provision of services to Aboriginal people living on country in remote areas needs to begin with a conversation and a willingness to actually listen.
“The Minister, his Department, the Government’s handling of this issue, and indeed the concept of closing remote communities at all, is absolutely deplorable.”
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
Reports of roaming cattle flooding in from Kimberley
Tuesday, 9 June
There are almost daily reports of high cattle numbers on the Great Northern Highway between Broome and Derby, according to Greens member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC.
“I was contacted just yesterday afternoon and alerted to an incident involving a learner driver just 80 kilometres out of Broome on Roebuck Plains Station,” Mr Chapple said.
“Photographic evidence confirms the incident involved a collision with roaming cattle, and I would be very surprised if nobody in that car was injured.
“This same contact told me they had counted 148 cattle on the Highway between Broome and Derby that afternoon, including 76 on Roebuck Plains Station alone.
“I find it very hard to believe that Western Australia is, as the Transport Minister has said, ‘leading the nation’ in keeping cattle of roads given the frightening reports that I receive from constituents on a weekly basis.
“Main Roads and the Department need to urgently reassess their commitment to animal mitigation because at the moment, it simply is not working and is only a matter of time before more lives are lost.“
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
