Will Hodgman

• A Hodgman Liberal Government will combine the four water and sewerage corporations into one streamlined, focussed Corporation.

This will save an estimated up to $20 million over four years in operating costs, putting downward pressure on prices.

Water and Sewerage reform went begging for 11 years under Labor; and when they finally acted they bungled it.

As a result, Tasmanians face price shocks of up to 100 percent over the next seven years.

At the very least, Tasmanians deserve cost effective water and sewerage services.

To cut down on duplication and cost inefficiencies the Tasmanian Liberals will combine the current four corporations into one streamlined, modern and focused Corporation, to deliver water and sewerage services that will drive economic development around Tasmania, as well as deliver services at the lowest possible price.

Under the Liberal plan, Onstream will be abolished, and the three regional corporations will become divisions of the one state-wide water and sewerage Corporation. Each regional division will keep its own revenues for the first five years to ensure regional discrepancies in capital works and pricing mechanisms can be fixed.    

While this new single entity will be established along proper corporate lines with experienced and qualified directors, it is also important for its member councils to have a strong input into the board at a regional and state-wide level. Accordingly, we will work with Councils over a 12-month transition period to ensure they have an appropriate say on how the Corporation operates.

As a point of reference for these discussions we propose that the single Corporation will have nine board members - six members external to local government, and three local government-based members, as long as they hold the appropriate skills base.

Every year, the owner councils will formalise their expectations to the Corporation via a letter of expectations, and we would enshrine in legislation the requirement for the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation to meet with the 29 councils at regular intervals to discuss progress, as measured against the letter of expectations.

Councils will continue to receive dividends as currently agreed.

 What this policy means for you

This policy will mean an end to the ongoing duplication of costs and bureaucracy, and will put downward pressure on water and sewerage bills.

Over the first four years of a single corporation we estimate the new structure will create savings of up to $20 million through greater operating efficiencies.

We will also give local councils, the owners of the corporations, a greater say in how the Corporation is run. This means your local region will have a say in how water and sewerage services are delivered to you.

Your Choice

LIBERAL

• Streamlined single Water and Sewerage Corporation
• Downward pressure on prices

LABOR/GREEN

• Bungled Reform Process
• Ongoing duplication of Water and Sewerage operations