Statements
TasWater boss lays down challenge to Treasurer Peter Gutwein …
The boss of Tasmania’s water and sewerage system has lashed out at the Treasurer, urging him to stop using the company as a political football and issuing a challenge to “demonstrate where there is a crisis”.
On Friday, Treasurer Peter Gutwein revealed he was actively considering a government takeover of the council-owned water and sewerage utility, to speed up repairs to infrastructure.
It follows a week of heated exchanges between Mr Gutwein and councils in which he accused them of failing to make improvements to TasWater infrastructure and claimed the situation was at “crisis point”.
In a statement, TasWater chairman Miles Hampton said he felt he must defend the company’s record.
“The regulators have not said to us they see us being in crisis, it’s the Treasurer who’s claimed that we are in crisis,” he said …