On Monday the 25th of July history was made when the Gold Coast City Council responded to public demand to disconnect from the money gouging water retailer Allconnex. Needless to say the Sate Gvt are not happy about the GGCC and the Ratepayers standing up to them and winning. Their statement reads or pure sour grapes....see below
The point here that the minister is missing is the cost of staying the Allconnex. Can the GC council deliver cheaper water prices? The answer is absolutely YES....For a start there is huge savings to be made by getting rid of the board and their huge salaries. You have to remember how the protest started. We receieved our water bills with a huge 20% increase. We then found out that our water bills were going to go up by over 20% compounding per annum for a further 2 years ontop of the rise we had just seen and we could see that the State Government was setting Allconnex up for Privitisation. Once we started protesting the GCRP got a $50 rebate and a price cap for 2 years. But what was going to happen once the price cap was lifted? You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Now after 7 months of hard work and protesting, Allconnex will be disolved. The question everyone is asking is "Are our water bills going to go up once Allconnex has gone"? Answer: YES they will...It is predicted around 3-4% decreasing over the life of the loan based on a ridiculous inflated figure of $60 Mil. However, if we had done nothing, then your water bills would have gone up by another 40+%, NOT including the Bulk Water Charges..........After that the QCA would be in control of pricing and the prices would have skyrocketed again. So, the answer to the question, Can the GGCC deliver cheaper water is YES!!! Just because the bills won't come down, there is HUGE difference in the amount the bills will go up. You have just been saved hundreds and hundreds of dollars per annum. Don't let the Sate Government or anyone else trick into thinking otherwise.
Joint Statement:Premier and Minister for ReconstructionThe Honourable Anna Bligh
Energy and Water UtilitiesThe Honourable Stephen Robertson
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
GCCC HAS MADE THE DECISION, NOW THEY NEED TO LIVE WITH IT
Premier Anna Bligh and Minister for Energy and Water Utilities Stephen Robertson say the State Government will not stand in the way of Gold Coast City Council’s decision to split from its water business Allconnex.
Ms Bligh said she respects Gold Coast City Council’s decision and now they need to live with the consequences.
“We gave South East Queensland councils the opportunity to take back their water businesses so they could take some responsibility on this issue,” she said.
“Gold Coast City Council will now have to prove to their ratepayers what they have been saying all along.
“That is, that they can provide water cheaper by taking back the water business under the council banner.”
Mr Robertson said Gold Coast City Council will still be required to provide a price mitigation plan to the State Government by 1 August. This plan must be published by 1 September 2011.
“They need to clearly demonstrate to their ratepayers what the cost of water will be going forward, under their chosen structure,” he said.
“I sincerely hope Gold Coast City Council has considered the interests of their local community with their decision.
“The judge and jury will be the ratepayers of the Gold Coast.
“If Gold Coast residents are not happy with the Council’s decision or the price path put forward next Monday, then they have an opportunity to make this known at the next local government election.
“The Bligh Government is doing all we can to put downward pressure on water prices including introducing a CPI cap over the next two years and announcing a proposal to allow Councils to have representation on their water boards.
“Now the State Government will concentrate our efforts on drafting the necessary legislation that will allow councils to demerge from their water distributor-retailers.
“The State Government will now get on with the job of working with councils to continue these reforms and work towards providing fairer water prices for South east Queenslanders.”
Posted by KirstyStrowger
Jul 26, 2011
