Residents urged to have a say on the price of bottled LPG

29/11/06
Goldfields-Esperance Minister John Bowler has urged Kalgoorlie and Esperance residents to have their say on the price of bottled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Public meetings will be held at the Kalgoorlie Town Hall and Esperance Civic Centre on Wednesday, December 13, as part of the State Government's inquiry into the affordability of bottled LPG.
"The price of bottled LPG has doubled over the last five years and this can be a big issue for people living in country or outer metropolitan areas," Mr Bowler said.
"Many people living in areas which are not supplied with reticulated gas have few alternatives but to rely on bottled LPG for cooking and home and water heating.
"Bottled LPG prices hit a record high in February and while there has been a slight decrease more recently, prices are expected to rise again this summer as a result of seasonal international demand.
"Price rises like this can place a real pressure on household budgets, particularly for pensioners and low income earners.
"I urge local consumers of bottled LPG to take advantage of this opportunity to attend the meeting and make their views known."
Mr Bowler said the inquiry - which was being led by Collie-Wellington MLA Mick Murray and Avon MLA Max Trenorden and was set up earlier this year in response to lobbying by Country Labor - was keen to determine the extent of the problem of affordability.
The Minister said that, in the longer term, his preferred outcome was for reticulated natural gas to be made available to all householders in the region. The main gas pipeline passed through Leonora, Menzies, Kambalda and Norseman, but so far calls to reticulate those towns by private gas retailers had been rejected.
Mr Bowler said he was keen for the remainder of the Kalgoorlie-Boulder region to be connected to natural gas.
"The taskforce is very focussed on identifying options to address the problem of affordability, so they are keen to hear public feedback," he said.
The Minister said the taskforce was concerned with understanding and explaining a range of issues, including:

• what bottled LPG was used for and the practical alternatives;
• what was causing higher prices;
• how household budgets were being affected by the higher cost of using bottled LPG, especially pensioners and others on low incomes; and
• why the price of bottled LPG fluctuated from month to month and varied from one region to another.