BARTLETT GOVERNMENT MUST RECONSIDER UNFAIR WATER AND SEWERAGE CHARGE

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Bartlett Government to reconsider its decision to allow the new Water and Sewerage Corporations to charge Tasmanian landowners for the provision of water and sewerage infrastructure to vacant blocks of land that have no actual water or sewerage connections.

Greens Water spokesperson Tim Morris MP said with the introduction of the new Corporations, the Bartlett Government missed the best chance in decades to review the historical practice of charging landowners when water and sewerage pipelines pass their property, but where no connections actually exist.

“The Bartlett Government and Treasurer Michael Aird are completely out of step with the community on this issue, and should reconsider the unfair practice of charging landowners a water and sewerage charge when they receive no water or sewerage services in return,” said Mr Morris.

“This is an unfair cost to levy on Tasmanians, and its existence shows just how out of touch the Bartlett government has become.”

“This unfair charge has been levied for years, and Treasurer Aird should have reviewed its existence when he set up the new Water and Sewerage Corporations, and given that he did not, he should do so immediately.”

Mr Morris said that the Greens understand that the practice was originally developed to send a price signal to encourage in-fill development, but said that there are other ways to achieve this that do not rely on an unfair water and sewerage charge.
Nick McKim MP Greens Water Spokesperson