Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson
Tasmanians have every reason to feel disappointed with the Local Government Minister's nothing-announcement that he plans to meet with councils over ongoing water and sewerage issues later this week.
The State's ailing water and sewerage infrastructure needs real action and leadership to clean up the mess, not just talk and blame-shifting.
It's irresponsible of Minister Gutwein to heap the costs of fixing the mess on Local Government. Responsibility for upgrading Tasmania's water and sewerage infrastructure sits with all levels of government, not just the one with the least in their coffers.
TasWater have repeatedly said they need contributions from Local, State and Federal governments in order to fix the State's water and sewerage mess.
Tasmania's water and sewerage infrastructure has been described as below developed world standards. This is most so in Mr Gutwein’s hometown, and electorate of Bass.
A sewerage system which doesn't have capacity to manage even the basic requirements of Launceston and Northern Tasmania is a public health disaster waiting to happen.
The kanamaluka/River Tamar is one of the nation's most polluted rivers, with raw sewage frequently flowing into it. Holding yet another meeting is not going to fix that.
Tasmania can't trade on its brand, and the accompanying visitor economy, if waterways are being polluted with raw sewage, and infrastructure isn't up to developed world standards.
The State's 'clean and green' image is at serious risk if the government doesn't take real action.