Synergy—Closed accounts—Payments
923. Hon Dr Steve Thomasto theLeader of the House representing the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation:
I refer to the minister's answer to my question without notice 867 asked on 16 October on the Synergy billing debacle.
(1) Was the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation or any person in her office informed in any way of the potential wider acceptance of payments into closed Synergy accounts, beyond the initial Centrepay ones before 14 July 2025?
(2) If yes to (1), on what specific day in which specific month were they advised, and by whom?
(3) Was the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation or any person in her office advised that Synergy had indeed been accepting payments into more closed Synergy accounts than the Centrepay ones before she received the full report on 17 September 2025?
(4) If yes to (3), on what specific day in which specific month were they advised, and by whom?
Hon Stephen Dawson replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1)–(4) As previously stated, a potential wider overpayment issue was raised by Synergy on 14 July 2025. The independent reviewer's interim report on the overpayment issue was received on 17 September 2025. Ministerial officers liaise with agencies and stakeholders in relation to upcoming engagements and formal correspondence as a matter of course.
