: News Article

NQ Water Expresses Disappointment at Backflip

13/03/2002

NQ Water has expressed its disappointment for ratepayers with a move by some Thuringowa City Councillors to rescind the motion of support for the restructure.

Chairman Ian Hamilton and CEO Ken Diehm met with officials from the department of Local Government today in the last step of the restructure.

The restructure was in response to National Competition Policy requirements and NQ Water had worked to secure benefits for the community in the process, said Mr Hamilton.

"It is not as if the Board could have done nothing," he said. "NQ Water is obliged to introduce NCP."

"We’ve done that and secured other benefits by keeping profits and taxes in the community, committing to infrastructure and handing over strategic land, not to mention the significant commitment to water recycling and conservation."

"The restructure is cost neutral to the community. It is a transfer of debt and there will be no new costs on ratepayers.

"It has been developed for the last six months and we have made ourselves available to Thuringowa Councilors at every point. I can only surmise that a minority of councillors failed to understand these benefits. I urge them to contact us"

Thuringowa ratepayers would be out of pocket if the motion to repeal support goes through, said Mr Hamilton.

"The downside for NQ Water and Thuringowa ratepayers is that the benefits of regional planning are sacrificed," he said. "We will be less effective in providing a service."

"Thuringowa would also have to fund a Northern Water Treatment Plant, which we committed to and the land for the Riverway project would be in question.

"If the motion to rescind gets through Council, other issues like the Water Reservation Agreement, which guarantees water entitlements and equivalent water quality for all residents, would need to be reconsidered."

© 2004 NQ Water