Nahan upset over utility's car
Energy Minister Mike Nahan has ordered an investigation into revelations that Western Power bought a luxury European car, saying he will demand it be sold "immediately" if they are true.
Dr Nahan said yesterday he was "very upset" at suggestions the State-owned electricity utility had bought an expensive SUV at a time of widespread budget cuts.
It emerged at the weekend that Western Power had splashed out more than $100,000 on a Volks- wagen Touareg R-line, the most expensive model produced by the German car giant.
Dr Nahan was adamant he had not been told of the purchase until contacted about it by reporters and would demand answers into how it came about.
He said that if the revelations were true, Western Power's actions were unacceptable and the public would have every right to be angry.
"I wasn't aware of it until I read about it in the paper," Dr Nahan said.
"I don't get involved in the purchase of pool cars by Western Power - they have over 1000.
"From the description in the paper, if it's accurate, I'm very upset and I will take action immediately to verify the facts.
"There's no excuse for an upmarket vehicle like that being used in Western Power.
"The senior management of Western Power and our government authorities are very well paid.
"There is no position in the various contracts I have oversight of for a pool car of this nature.
"And I'm also upset that things like this happen - it's not just the spending, it's the process by which it would have been undertaken.
"If it's accurate, the car will be on the used-car market quite soon."
Unions and the Opposition were scathing about the car purchase, saying the money should have gone into delivering better services.
Western Power said it maintained an operational fleet of "more than 1800 vehicles", about 500 of which cost $80,000 or more.
It also said it had reviewed the management arrangements around its fleet and this had led to a "new and improved approach" that was lowering costs for customers.
