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Water palaver!

Posted by: Michael Smith | 11 June, 2010 - 4:21 PM

Michael Smith Blog: Michael Smith has a talk with Greg Hallam, LGAQ Executive Director, about the perplexing changes to consumer's water prices.

MEDIA STATEMENT

11 June, 2010

QUEENSLAND URBAN UTILITIES WATER PRICING INFORMATION

Queensland Urban Utilities will announce its 2010/11 water and sewerage charges later this month.

Chief Executive Officer Noel Faulkner said that Queensland Urban Utilities would operate as a statutory authority from 1 July, providing water and wastewater services to residents and businesses in the Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset council areas.

“Water and sewerage charges will be set by our Board and announced prior to 1 July,” Mr Faulkner said.

“While we’re not in a position to indicate our prices today, I would anticipate that our water and sewerage charges will use the same tariff structures currently in place in each of our five service areas.

“Our pricing structure includes the State Government-levied bulk water charge, which represents a significant component in the total cost of residential and commercial water."

The Queensland Water Commission has flagged significant increases in the cost of bulk water to pay for the State Government's infrastructure investments across South East Queensland.

Customer accounts also include a fixed charge for water access, a fixed charge for sewerage services, as well as a tiered water consumption charge.

Mr Faulkner assured customers that Queensland Urban Utilities was working hard to minimise price rises and ensure that revenue was directed towards maintaining and expanding water and sewerage assets, particularly in growth areas.

“The Queensland Competition Authority will be monitoring and scrutinising water prices,” Mr Faulkner said.

The ‘National Performance Report 2008-2009: urban water utilities’ released in late April by the Water Services Association of Australia and the National Water Commission found that the average Brisbane residential water bill was lower than that for the Gold Coast, Sydney, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide.

PRESS RELEASE FROM The Hon. Stephen Robertson MP

11 June 2010

Minister urges council-owned businesses to ease water and sewerage prices Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson has urged councils and council owned water distributor-retailers to ensure water prices do not put unnecessary pressure on households in South East Queensland.

“We know that people are under financial pressure right now and that is why we have urged councils to minimise the impact on consumers of their water prices,” Mr Robertson said.

“Councils should follow the state governments lead in limiting water price rises – the State Government supplies bulk water and since 2008, has limited price rises at around $68 a year for average households.

“Those prices were set after consultation with the councils, and were made public mid-2008 – councils have known these prices for more than two years.

“Unlike some Councils, State Government does not make a profit from water charges.

“Retail water and sewerage charges are the responsibility of councils through their council owned retailer-distributors. Councils are in a position to limit price rises and they need to take ownership of any increases that may impact on their communities.

“It is up to the council owned water distributor-retailers to run their businesses for the people of South East Queensland not for profit.”

Mr Robertson said claims that South East Queensland urban water reforms were responsible for council-controlled water price rises are misleading.

“In mid-2009, the State Government sat round the table with the South East Queensland Council of Mayors to discuss urban water reforms,” Mr Robertson said.

“The State Government agreed to councils’ own proposal to establish three council owned urban water distributor-retailers.

“This simply means water charges council have previously included in their rates will now be charged separately by the council-owned water distributor-retailers.

“It is time for SEQ councils to be honest and stop blaming the State for their choices and I challenge them to run their businesses for the benefit of South East Queenslanders not for profits.”

Blog comments

I cannot and do not believe that I am the only person who cares enough to put pen to paper and write of my complete disgust at the profiteering by our Local Councils. We (thats YOU AND ME) own the water in this State yet allow Governments, Local and State to steal this natural resource and charge us like wounded bulls for it. This rotten, mongrel, corrupt State Government, to make it seem that it is all out of their control, force Local Governments - thats
the Brisbane City Council, Redlands, Gold Coast, all of them - to form various sub agencies from the then Water Commission. All of this took place under the guidance of Elizabeth Nosworthy, selected by none other than that man of impeccable character, Peter Douglas Beattie. The writing was surely on the wall; we had previously seen what happened to Electricity after this lying Politician proclaimed that charges for power into our homes and businesses would be cheaper after his Socialist Government sold off the Retail Arm of the Industry. SKYROCKETS IN SPACE - Never ending price rises. The methodology used in converting electrical energy into dollars for the privatization is now being used to supply us with the water to our homes and businesses. WATER WHICH WE ALREADY OWN. This carried out by none other than the Beatties protege Anna (the Liar) Bliar. Earlier this month I predicted this would happen. And it has!!!When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn. I've had enough - WHAT ABOUT YOU????

Phil of Springwood Monday 28 June, 2010 - 9:04 PM
@Phil of Springwood.
WOOOOOTTTTT !!!!!!!!
Go you good thing.
Wobblyone.
Must admit for one second, I thought you had lost it Phil, with your calling Beattie an honest man. lol....

Wobblyone Sunday 13 June, 2010 - 9:03 PM
Well folks, we've seen it with the privatisation of our Electricity, broken up by a very honest man who was then the Premier of this State, one Peter Beattie. Beattie, the honest man that he was at the time told "we the people - for the people" that the said break up would in time give we people of Queensland, competition which would lead to lower prices. Hello, am I missing something here, or was all that this good, honest man insisted be true, was actually a lie. Of course at the time, Mme Treasurer and Deputy Premier, M/s Anna Bligh, stood side by side with Beattie and turned "Noddy". I've been tipping for a while that water would be on the agenda. Guess what folks, now it is!!!!This time however, the City Council has formed three private companies, to control the cost of our (thats OUR) water and guess what, it is their intention to make a profit. Well "dipsy bloody doo". Don't forget the failed attempt by Kevin Michael Rudd to charge us for the very air we breathe: Campbell Newman, a Liberal Lord Mayor, has joined with the Socialists -Beattie, Bligh and Rudd - and now they now have control of Air, Water and Electricity. Smithy said it on Friday, I said it late last year and I repeat it now. Isn't it time that we all put our heads out the window and shouted at the top of our voice "I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANY MORE"!!!! Surely folks our apathy has come to an end. How long do we continue to sit back and take this crap from these lying Politicians who continue to lead us up the garden path and treat us like mushrooms.

Phil of Springwood Saturday 12 June, 2010 - 12:14 PM