- WA Government to assess the future energy needs of industry to remain globally competitive following feedback from recent Economic Resilience Forum
- Assessment will include intensive engagement with key economic sectors in collaboration with industry peak bodies
- Process will inform government decision making over coming months in relation to transmission infrastructure and energy policy settings
The Cook Labor Government will work with industry peak bodies to conduct an intensive consultation process, bringing together the public and private sectors, to assess how we position Western Australia's economy to compete on a global scale as a clean energy powerhouse.
Business leaders who attended the Premier's Economic Resilience Forum highlighted the delivery of energy infrastructure and energy supply arrangements as central to their investment strategies and competitiveness in a dynamic international trade environment.
In response, the Cook Government, with support from industry peak bodies will conduct a rapid and intensive industry engagement exercise over the coming months.
This process will combine the latest intelligence from key economic sectors with work by the new Department of Energy and Economic Diversification (DEED) to finalise plans for the next phase of energy grid infrastructure and to review the effectiveness of our energy market.
This confidential process will enable government to test its analysis, seek robust feedback and develop a better understanding of how key decisions will affect WA's future investment pipeline.
The process will feed into major decisions of government to be announced this year including the transmission investment plan for the South West Interconnected System.
As stated by Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"This work reflects the Cook Labor Government's focus on making more things in WA and diversifying our economy through access to secure, competitively priced clean energy.
"I look forward to working closely with industry over the coming months to ensure we can create the right policy settings around energy infrastructure, market rules and the role played by our State-owned energy utilities."
