The Liberal Government’s plan for fixing Tasmania’s failing water and sewerage infrastructure will support growth in regional communities and help to create jobs.
Our draft legislation for the takeover of TasWater, released yesterday, will lock in cheaper prices, deliver better infrastructure and still guarantee payments to councils.
Across the State, we will bring forward TasWater’s works program, addressing sooner issues that can hold back development or impact on our environment and on our brand.
This is the case at Maydena – a small town set to become another tourist hot spot with the Maydena Mountain Bike Park to drive a significant increase in visitation.
Work is needed on the town’s sewerage treatment plant to ensure it meets standards and has the capacity to cope with growth.
Under our plan, we will ensure this $2.19 million upgrade is completed a year earlier than TasWater currently intends, providing greater certainty to the local community and to potential investors.
As the Infrastructure Tasmania report released last week demonstrates, the Liberal Government will get the job done faster and we will ensure customers will pay less.
TasWater’s assets don’t belong to councils; they belong to the people of Tasmania.
Our legislation means that the Liberal Government will become responsible for and will manage water and sewerage infrastructure on behalf of all Tasmanians, at a lower cost to Tasmanians.
And it means that we will upgrade infrastructure earlier, delivering better services, improved environmental outcomes and greater capacity where it is needed, such as here at Maydena.
Will Hodgman, Premier
