TREASURER UNDER PRESSURE OVER WATER &SEWERAGE 33%PRICE RISE

Aird Admits Further 22% Increase Still to Come

The Tasmanian Greens today succeeded in getting the Treasurer, Michael Aird, to admit that Tasmanians will be receiving a 22% increase in their Water and Sewerage accounts over the next two years, and said that the cost of living is spiralling out of control under the Bartlett government.

Greens Water spokesperson Tim Morris MP said called on the Treasurer, Mr Aird to include the remainder of the proposed Water and Sewerage 33% price increases for the next two years in the review of the Interim Price Order that he is obliged to undertake under section 2.2 of the initial Interim Price Order, as stipulated in the Water and Sewerage Industry Act 2008.

“We finally forced Treasurer Aird to fess up and admit that the government intends for there to be at least a 20% increase on top of those water and sewerage bills appearing in people’s letter-boxes right now,” Mr Morris said.

“Since water and sewerage accounts had started arriving in the last couple of weeks many people had been shocked at the 10% increase from last year’s accounts, and yet many people are still unaware that the Government has ordered the Water and Sewerage Corporations to increase these accounts by a further 22% over the next two years.”

“The Greens are calling on the Treasurer to review the proposed price increases as many people have already been shocked by the magnitude of the price increase this year alone, and there are fears that a 30% price rise over three years may indeed be too great a financial imposition for many low and fixed income Tasmanians.”

“There is a cost of living spiral under this Labor government, with these latest water and sewerage hikes on top of price increases in public transport charges despite cuts to services, increases in MAIB premium fees, power bills increasing by a third over the last two years.”

“This has been a bungle of the highest order, and once again the Tasmanian people have to foot the bill.”

“Under section 2.2 of the Interim Price Order the Treasurer must review the order every year and must consult on any proposed changes. We want to see this review process to introduce a mechanism to allow an equitable two-part pricing system to be implemented.”

The Greens were the only Party in the House of Assembly to vote against the Bartlett government’s water and sewerage reforms due to concerns over implications of the reform’s implementation for the community.

Download: Interim-Price-Order.pdf
Tim Morris MP Greens Water Spokesperson