The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, has called on the State Government to plug the holes and take responsibility for fixing its botched and expensive water reforms.
Mr Wilkie will today inspect a dangerous hole in the footpath in Hobart that his office first asked Southern Water to fix 73 days ago.
“I first heard about this hole when an elderly lady almost tripped in it on her way home from the bus stop back in March,’’ Mr Wilkie said.
“Since then my office has made at least 6 calls to Southern Water to try and get the hole fixed yet it’s still here waiting to trip somebody and break their leg or worse.
“I add the elderly lady had been trying to get the hole fixed for more than a year before she approached me.
“This hole is symbolic of the mess the State Government created when it forced water and sewerage reforms on councils and ratepayers and then washed its hands of the problem.’’
Mr Wilkie said the State Government’s water and sewerage reforms read like a manual on how not to do business.
“These reforms appear to have created more bureaucracy, more expense, higher fees, a billing debacle and worse customer service,’’ Mr Wilkie.
“Then there is the roll-out of water meters in Southern Tasmania that few people want and carries a massive $30 million price tag.
“The Government’s scrapping of the 5 per cent cap on water bill increases is surely the final straw.
“It’s time the State Government took responsibility for these failed reforms and cleaned up the mess it has created.’’
WHEN: 12:30pm. WHERE: Antill St, near Hungry Jacks and the Davey St intersection.
