❓ Mr. Kelly questions the Minister for Water regarding potential asset sales and job losses within the Water Corporation, citing concerns about financial viability and lack of public endorsement. The Minister affirms the Water Corporation won't be sold but avoids commenting on specific asset sales and defends the engineering division restructure due to shifting priorities.
AnsweredQoN 103Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER
CORPORATION — ASSET SALE
103. Mr D.J. KELLY to the
Minister for Water:
(1) Given that
the Water Corporation board has cited the government's proposed asset
sale program as a potential threat to its financial viability, and that the
government has no public endorsement to sell Water Corporation assets, will the
minister now rule out the sale of the Water Corporation's metropolitan
desalination and wastewater treatment plants?
(2) Will the
minister now abandon her decision to sell the Water Corporation's
engineering and construction division, with its 150 job losses?
CORPORATION — ASSET SALE
103. Mr D.J. KELLY to the
Minister for Water:
(1) Given that
the Water Corporation board has cited the government's proposed asset
sale program as a potential threat to its financial viability, and that the
government has no public endorsement to sell Water Corporation assets, will the
minister now rule out the sale of the Water Corporation's metropolitan
desalination and wastewater treatment plants?
(2) Will the
minister now abandon her decision to sell the Water Corporation's
engineering and construction division, with its 150 job losses?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
The government has been very clear in this place, and outside, that the Water
Corporation is not for sale, and will not be sold. The asset sales process is
continuing, and that is something I will not comment on until it reaches its
conclusion. In relation to the engineering services and construction division,
I have explained to the member and made public statements to the effect that
the organisation has shifted from a record level of investment. We have shifted
from a significant construction period in which we have droughtproofed Perth
and the interconnected system.
We are now shifting into an
operation and maintenance mode. I assume that members opposite would not have
us employing people who no longer have work to carry out. It is still a
significant investment in our capital works going forward, but it is not at the
level it has been at for the past 10 years, because we have worked very hard to
droughtproof this state to make sure that when people turn on the tap, water
comes out. No, I will not be considering that. That process has commenced, and
I await an update from the Water Corporation on how that goes.
The government has been very clear in this place, and outside, that the Water
Corporation is not for sale, and will not be sold. The asset sales process is
continuing, and that is something I will not comment on until it reaches its
conclusion. In relation to the engineering services and construction division,
I have explained to the member and made public statements to the effect that
the organisation has shifted from a record level of investment. We have shifted
from a significant construction period in which we have droughtproofed Perth
and the interconnected system.
We are now shifting into an
operation and maintenance mode. I assume that members opposite would not have
us employing people who no longer have work to carry out. It is still a
significant investment in our capital works going forward, but it is not at the
level it has been at for the past 10 years, because we have worked very hard to
droughtproof this state to make sure that when people turn on the tap, water
comes out. No, I will not be considering that. That process has commenced, and
I await an update from the Water Corporation on how that goes.
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