The state’s peak business group, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, is playing a lead role in assisting industry and households in the wake of the interrupted gas supply from Varanus Island.

CCI is working collaboratively with the State Government to minimise the impact of the significant gas outage on local industry and the wider community.

The Chamber is a member of the government’s newly formed working group which has been established to devise and implement a practical way forward to what is a significant challenge for business, their employees and the economy more generally.

The first order of business for the working group is to gather accurate information about the impact on the business community in order to understand properly the demand and supply situation for electricity, gas and other fuel sources. This information is needed as soon as possible to help business and industry plan for future.

The working group will also examine the management of supply and demand issues, consider alternative sources of fuel and investigate practical ways to minimise consumption.

Businesses are greatly concerned about the impact the outage will have on their operations and bottom line. Gas shortages are already having a significant adverse effect on small, medium and large businesses which require security and certainty of energy supply to keep their doors open.

With demand high for electricity, gas and other fuel sources, CCI urges business, industry and households to conserve energy. Everyone has an important role in ensuring minimal disruption and inconvenience to the State.

CCI looks forward to assisting the Government to develop and implement strategies to mitigate the impact of the serious energy supply issue.