Legislative Council
SA WATER - NEW SEWERAGE FEES
The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before
asking the Attorney-General, representing the Minister for Government Enterprises, a
question about the introduction of two new fees by SA Water in the 1998-99 financial year.
Leave granted.
The Hon. SANDRA KANCK: When the State Government outsourced the management of SA Water, the then Infrastructure Minister, now Premier (Mr John Olsen), promised:
There will be a 20 per cent saving to consumers in South Australia in the delivery of water and waste water servicesónon negotiable.
As members of the Chamber will be aware, since the introduction of the user pays system
in 1995, the bill for the use of 250 000 litres of water per annum has jumped from $220 in
1995 to $274 this year.
The latest edition of Business SA reveals that SA Water intends to levy new fees
against commercial and industrial customers for use of the sewerage system. There has been
no consultation with business regarding the introduction of these fees. On 1 August, SA
Water introduced a trade waste application fee of $195 for commercial operations and $360
for industrial operations. From the beginning of September, SA Water will begin levying a
compliance audit fee of $65 per inspection for commercial operations and $80 for
industrial operations. These fees are not levied in respect of the quantity or quality of
the waste discharged into the system. In effect, they amount to a flat tax upon users of
the system. My questions to the Minister are:
1. Why did not the Government consult with representative bodies of the consumers
affected by the introduction of the new fees?
2. Will the Government consider varying the charge on the basis of quantity and
quality of the waste discharged into the system?
The Hon. K.T. GRIFFIN: I will refer the questions to my colleague
in another place and bring back a reply.