Drinking Water

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson

The Auditor-General’s report into TasWater confirms what we knew - TasWater inherited a large amount of work to be done over a short period of time, but progress has been significant.

In its findings, the report confirms the Liberals’ plans for TasWater are purely political. Their glee in every unfortunate negative event in totally inappropriate, and not backed up by the infrastructure reality.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson

The Property Council of Tasmania’s push poll appears to have been designed to back up the State Government takeover of TasWater.  This style of polling, phrasing statements as questions, leads the respondent to the answer desired by the author, in this instance the Property Council.

The ReachTEL poll’s introductory questions pointed to performance measures which had no context provided, followed by the question of whether or not it was good enough.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson 

The Liberals' highly political plan to takeover TasWater has received another blow today, with Chair Miles Hampton exposing the high cost Tasmanians will pay for the Liberals' plan.

Mr Hampton has issued a statement outlining the financial implications of the government’s plan for Taswater, most concerning of all the announcement that it would result in $600 million of extra debt to be carried by Tasmanian households.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson 

Tasmania’s ailing water and sewerage infrastructure needs to be dealt with as a matter of urgency. The Liberals’ reckless and politicised handling of the matter, however, is almost beyond belief.

Sarah Courtney’s wild claims about household water and sewerage bills, and TasWater itself, don’t seem to be based on anything grounded in fact.

Miles Hampton, Chair of TasWater, has made it clear Ms Courtney’s claims are very questionable.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson

Today's comments from TasWater confirm the Liberals' cynical politicking on the State's water and sewerage infrastructure.

Until last week, Peter Gutwein dismissed any issues raised over the provision of water and sewerage services as Local Government's problem. 

These issues clearly weren't even raised by the Minister until the Liberals' political stunt last week.

To construct a so-called "emergency" is irresponsible.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson

Minister Gutwein's options to councils for the funding of water and sewerage upgrades are cynical and politically motivated.  

Mr Gutwein has ignored the serious state of Tasmania's water and sewerage infrastructure for almost 3 years.  That it's taken him this long to come up with a handful of politicised dot points is unacceptable.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens' Water spokesperson

It's not only TasWater who are being left hanging by the Hodgman Government's refusal to have a meaningful discussions about critical water and sewerage infrastructure funding, it's the Tasmanian community.  Every Tasmanian household will feel the effects of their petulance.

TasWater have said they will likely raise charges by 10% in the next two years.  This fee hike will hit disadvantaged Tasmanians the hardest.

Andrea Dawkins MP | Greens Water spokesperson

Local Government Minister, Peter Gutwein has passed the buck on our aging water and sewerage infrastructure to councils, and in the same breath told them they shouldn't raise rates to pay for it.

TasWater made it very clear Tasmania’s ailing water and sewerage infrastructure is everyone's problem. Instead of taking some responsibility, Minister Gutwein has handballed it to local councils.