BARTLETT’S W&S BACKFLIP IS POLL-DRIVEN

What a Difference a Looming Election Makes …

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens said today that poll-driven desperation has forced Premier David Bartlett to override the Treasurer Michael Aird and Water Minister David Llewellyn and finally take action to halve the maximum price increase for water and sewerage bills recently received by property owners.

Greens Water spokesperson Tim Morris MP said today’s welcome but belated backflip from David Bartlett has adopted many of the changes suggested by the Greens, including capping the price rises, but that more still needs to be done.

“The Greens welcome the Premier’s backflip on the capping the price increase and indexing concession payments, both of which were called for by the Greens in Parliament but ignored at the time by the Bartlett Government,” said Mr Morris.

“The serious levels of distress, hardship, and uncertainty experienced by the community could have been alleviated much earlier had the Premier been prepared to act on concerns earlier in the year instead of waiting to read the tea-leaves in two bad polls.”

“What an amazing difference an election on the horizon makes. Suggestions that were ignored just months ago are now apparently government ideas.”

“Is the Premier going to refund this money now, or is he going to cynically wait until the election is a little bit closer and then include another glossy brochure, this time with his picture on the front?”

“The decision to have water meters in place by June 2012 is welcome, however the mechanism for billing tenants has still not been properly worked out.”

“The Premier’s belated backflip today is a significant admission that Labor got it wrong, but much more needs to be done to reassure the public that this is not just a move to grab back votes prior to next year’s State election, with further economic pain looming after the election has passed,” said Mr Morris.
Tim Morris MP Greens Water spokesperson