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TasWater boss fires back at Gutwein's plan to wrest control

Monday, 27 Feb 2017 16:23:04 | Annah Fromberg

The boss of Tasmania's water and sewerage company says there is no supply crisis. (ABC News: Damien Larkins)

The boss of Tasmania's water and sewerage system has lashed out at the Treasurer, urging him to stop using the company as a political football and issuing a challenge to "demonstrate where there is a crisis".

On Friday, Treasurer Peter Gutwein revealed he was actively considering a government takeover of the council-owned water and sewerage utility, to speed up repairs to infrastructure.

It follows a week of heated exchanges between Mr Gutwein and councils in which he accused them of failing to make improvements to TasWater infrastructure and claimed the situation was at "crisis point".

In a statement, TasWater chairman Miles Hampton said he felt he must defend the company's record.

"The regulators have not said to us they see us being in crisis, it's the Treasurer who's claimed that we are in crisis," he said.

"It is time for the Treasurer to stop using TasWater as a political football. We are not in crisis."

"I'd like him to demonstrate to me where there's a crisis because we don't believe we're in crisis."

Mr Hampton took a swipe at Mr Gutwein's supposed lack of knowledge in making his assessment of TasWater's position.

"I'm somewhat surprised that a non-technical person is throwing around a lot of data ... It's a very complex space," Mr Hampton said.

Gutwein plan means debt, TasWater boss says

TasWater has insisted 99 per cent of its customers receive drinking water that fully complies with Australian standards and the remaining 1 per cent will be receiving similar quality water within 18 months.

"From the start, the Treasurer's portrayal of the situation appears to have been a cynical attempt to alarm the community and convince the Upper House that a takeover TasWater is in the best interest of the state," Mr Hampton said.

Last week Mr Gutwein said a takeover would speed up the job of water and sewerage upgrades because the Government could utilise the strength of its balance sheet.

Mr Hampton said if Mr Gutwein had a plan, he would like to see it.

"The Treasurer says he can solve Tasmania's water and sewerage challenges in five years or less by leveraging the state's balance sheet. In other words, by running even greater debt now for others to pay later."

"Money is only one aspect of delivering real projects on the ground," he said.

Earlier today, Premier Will Hodgman threw his support behind Mr Gutwein's plan.

"We've had to say enough is enough, and we need to take action," he said.

"Yes its challenging, but I think we all agree we need to do more, we need to do better.

"We've said all options should be on the table, but the only option we can't consider is doing nothing."

TasWater began trading in 2013 after an amalgamation of three corporations.

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