What the Greens reckon …

AIRD- Mr 30%- FOR W&S REFORM
Dramatic Rises Expected for Most Tasmanians
Tim Morris MP
Greens Local Government Spokesperson
Wednesday, 15 April 2009

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today said that it appears that most Tasmanians will pay dearly for the Bartlett Governments Water and Sewerage reforms after Treasurer Aird belatedly released the Interim Price Order for a truncated public consultation period today.

Greens Local Government spokesperson Tim Morris MP said that if the Treasurer accepts the Interim Price Order recommendations then most Tasmanians in most Tasmanian municipalities will face price rises for water and sewerage services of between 25 and 30% over the next 3 years.

“The reports released today are complex, but at a quick glance it shows that there will be dramatic price rises for Tasmanians over the next 3 years as the new Water and Sewerage Corporations take charge of these services that have been managed by individual Councils and the Bulk Water Authorities on July 1 this year,” Mr Morris said.

“The Greens know that improvements need to be made to the quality of water but are still concerned that this expensive reform is being foisted on Tasmanian households at the same time that there is a move for wage restraint and many job losses and we wonder just where the hundreds of extra dollars that will be demanded will come from.”

“With the release of these reports being delayed from there intended release last year there will now only be 4 weeks allowed for public consultation instead of the planned 8 weeks which is unacceptably short for a matter that is highly complex and very important to Tasmanians”

“Had I not pressured the treasurer to release the Interim Price order today then I suspect he would have left it until after the legislative Council election on the 2nd of May in order to improve his chances of re-election.”

“There is no doubt that the Treasurer has now earned himself the title of Mr 30% because of his decision to use an expensive sledgehammer to crack a relatively small nut that was Boil Water notices in a couple of dozen small water schemes.”

“Tasmanians now have another expensive bureaucracy to support in addition to the ones it was already supporting and the recent revelation of the $135,000 per annum payment for a one day per week chairman of the new corporations.” Mr Morris said