$30 MILLION ENERGY AD BLITZ CAN’T PAPER OVER LABOR’S TRANSITION FAILURES

The Cook Labor Government is spending $30 million of taxpayer money advertising its energy transition at home and overseas while it struggles to deliver the transition itself.

Answers to questions in State Parliament from Shadow Energy Minister Dr Steve Thomas have confirmed $18 million has been allocated to the domestic State of Energy campaign and another $12 million to a global campaign.

However, when details were sought on where the domestic advertising would run, which agencies had been engaged, how much they would be paid and what KPIs would determine whether the campaign was successful, the Government was unable to provide an answer.

Dr Thomas said the extraordinary advertising spend was an attempt to sell confidence in an energy transition that was rapidly running out of time.

“The panic is starting to set in because almost nobody outside the Government believes it will deliver its transition out of State-owned coal by late 2029 as originally promised,” he said.

“So instead of fixing its failing transition, the Cook Government is spending $30 million of taxpayer money trying to convince those same taxpayers that everything is on track.

“You don’t fix a struggling energy transition with a $30 million advertising campaign - you fix it by getting the transition right.”

Dr Thomas said Labor had failed to work out how to deliver its energy transition plan, since they first announced it.

“The clearest example is the Whole of System Plan, which should provide the roadmap for how our electricity system will actually operate through the transition,” he said.

“That plan is already badly delayed and is not expected until next year, meaning the Government will be most of the way through its transition timetable before the plan explaining how to deliver it finally arrives.

“Instead of spending $30 million advertising the transition, that money would be far better spent making sure Western Australia has the generation, storage, transmission and firming capacity needed to keep the lights on.”

Dr Thomas said the Government had also failed to justify why such an enormous advertising campaign was necessary.

“West Australians don’t need glossy advertisements telling them we are a ‘State of Energy’ - they need an energy system that is reliable and affordable,” he said.

“The Government effectively controls the State’s electricity system. It is not competing with another provider to deliver Western Australia’s energy transition, so taxpayers are entitled to ask exactly what this $30 million sales campaign is supposed to achieve.

“The Government says the advertising is ‘critical’ to helping people understand the transition. What is actually critical is delivering enough energy to keep homes and businesses running.

“Labor wasted the early years of its transition and is now desperately trying to catch up as coal and gas generation runs down and replacement capacity struggles to keep pace.

“Yet it still cannot tell Parliament where all of the $18 million domestic advertising budget will be spent, which agencies will benefit or what KPIs will determine whether taxpayers received value for money.

“$30 million is not loose change, and taxpayers deserve far greater transparency about how it is being spent.

“If there was truth in advertising, the Government would be telling West Australians its transition is behind schedule, badly planned and rapidly running out of time.”

‍Media contact: Dr Steve Thomas 0427 908 717