Case Study

WA Independent Power Association

Giving small energy providers a voice in WA

Secretariat support and policy development

The Western Australian Independent Power Association (WA IPA) was established in 2012 as a peak body for the independent power companies so that they can effectively communicate their needs to government and other stakeholders.

The purpose of the WA IPA is to ensure that the Western Australian power industry is open and competitive, more choice is offered for consumers and prices are reduced. The Association also aims to stimulate new jobs and support regional development across the State of WA.

The challenge

Since 2006, independent power companies have invested more than $4 billion into the WA electricity market and provided half of the power generated on WA’s main grid. For the WA IPA.

The challenge is to communicate the expertise of members through quality advice and to ensure its members’ views are considered by the State Government as part of policy development and reform to the energy market.

Purple ensures the Association’s communications strategy—from website content to government engagement—is streamlined, coordinated, articulate and operates as one voice.

Our approach

Purple provides a secretariat function to the WA IPA and Special Counsel Richard Harris chairs the Association. We coordinate meetings, provide strategic media and government engagement advice, prepare submissions to government, produce all communications collateral and manage the organisation’s website.

Our results

The WA IPA has regular engagement with policy-makers in Government, providing valuable advice and industry perspective to policy under consideration.

In late 2017, the WA IPA released an electricity reform white paper, produced through the collective efforts of members. This white paper has been received warmly by all stakeholders and its findings have assisted the government in framing it’s ongoing reform agenda.

WA IPA Chairperson Richard Harris was also recently appointed to the Strategic Consultative Working Group, set up by the WA Government to facilitate direct engagement with the Wholesale Electricity Market reform program.

Keys to success

Responsive support

Fully managed support service providing secretarial and administrative functions

Stakeholder Management

Comprehensive stakeholder engagement to ensure organisational views are effectively conveyed

Reform Agenda

Lobbying for reasonable and achievable reform that is currently being implemented by government