Government’s Own Energy Report Highlights Their Own Failures

Media Release | 18 September 2025
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Hon Dr Steve Thomas MLC
Shadow Minister for Energy
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Shadow Minister for Energy Dr Steve Thomas says today’s release of the 2025 Western Power SWIS Transmission Plan by Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson is an embarrassment for the Cook Labor Government not a celebration.

“Unfortunately for the Government that plan they dropped today has simply highlighted the shortcomings of their current transition plan,” he said.

Dr Thomas said page 11 of the new plan should make Western Australian families, small businesses and industry extremely nervous about the future with regard to energy cost and reliability.

“It clearly shows that the current plan is short nearly 2,000 megawatts of generation capacity, which the Government suggests is not an impending problem but ‘an opportunity’,” he said.

“This is more of a hope and a prayer than a plan.”

Dr Thomas said the Opposition had been waiting for the Cook Labor Government to deliver an updated comprehensive Whole of System Plan that outlines the energy Western Australia will need at a price that families and business can afford.

“That plan was last properly delivered in 2020 and was due to be updated in 2023, but we are still waiting for it two years later,” he said.

“That delay means we still have no strategic plan for how we will keep the lights on in coming years, and the delays make it already too late for the Labor Government to deliver the power we will need.

“Much of what has been announced today is simply business as usual and yet the Energy Minister seems to want to be congratulated for connecting homes and businesses as is the normal expansion of Western Power.

“This is a State Government floundering to deliver a comprehensive transition plan and every once in a while they come out with a meaningless announcement that actually delivers nothing new.”

Media Contact: Dr Steve Thomas 0427 908 717
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From page 11 of the report (attached).
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ENDS

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